Spices! 3
Downtown, Oakland
Restaurant in Oakland, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Spices! 3 is an easy Oakland option when convenience matters more than a destination dining setup. Book it for a flexible casual meal near downtown, but wine-focused diners or special-occasion groups should compare it with Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar, Bare Knuckle Pizza, or Golden Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant before choosing.
About Spices! 3
Is Spices! 3 a practical pick in Oakland? It is best framed as a casual venue with broad daily hours. The schedule runs from late morning to evening every day, with a slightly later opening on Saturday and Sunday and an earlier close on Sunday.
Keep the plan simple rather than anchoring it to details such as a chef, awards, pricing, drinks program, menu format, or seating setup. Spices! 3 is a casual Oakland option to consider when the hours and relaxed dress code fit the plan.
Choose it for convenience, not for a trophy dinner
The strongest reason to choose this venue is convenience. Spices! 3 is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 10 PM, Saturday from 11:30 AM to 10 PM, and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM. That schedule gives diners a wide window for a casual meal in Oakland.
Pricing, awards, menu specifics, and beverage details can shape the experience, so check current information directly before treating the restaurant as a value play, a destination dinner, or a drinks-focused choice. The safer expectation is a casual Oakland meal with dependable listed hours.
Where it fits among Oakland casual options
For diners comparing nearby choices, Bare Knuckle Pizza, Binh Minh Quan, Mr. Liu Noodle House, Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar, and Golden Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant are other Oakland options to consider. Spices! 3 is most useful when its casual dress code and daily hours match the timing of the group.
Use Spices! 3 as a direct Oakland option rather than forcing it into a more specific role. For a wider scan of the area, use the full Oakland restaurants guide.
Planning details
- Location
- 370-372 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607
- Website
- order.online/business/spices-3-103222
- Phone
- (510) 625-8889
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Spices! 3 reads as a neighborhood Sichuan/Taiwanese outpost rather than a stage for a celebrity chef. The copy positions it squarely within Oakland’s layered Chinese-American dining history: a mid-market, independently minded restaurant serving a local, regular clientele. Service and kitchen work in tandem, and the place favors steady execution and broad menu breadth over performative tasting menus. The result is a straightforward, classic Chinatown-adjacent spot that leans casual and unpretentious, built on dependable flavors and a community of repeat customers rather than trends.
Best For
This is a no-fuss neighborhood destination for dinners with friends, regular solo visits, or casual group meals where bold Sichuan flavors take center stage. The location on 12th Street — amid Chinatown stalls and Uptown nightlife — makes it an easy pick for after-work crowds and diners who want spirited, comforting Chinese cooking without ceremony. The kitchen’s breadth and quick pacing suit groups who share plates and come with an appetite for spicy, shareable preparations.
Ordering Tips
Come ready to share and to embrace heat: standout items include the Numbing Spicy Fish Pot, Spicy Lamb Ribs, Won Tons in Red Oil, Dry Braised String Beans, Salt & Pepper Tofu, and the Spicy Explosive Entrails. Regulars often arrive with specific orders, so consider asking the staff what’s particularly good that day and start with a few bold, shareable plates to pass around. The menu rewards communal ordering and a willingness to try distinctly Sichuan-forward spice profiles.
Venue details
Ambiance
Casual, energetic dining environment with vibrant flavors and authentic regional Chinese cooking.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Medium
Signature Dishes
- Numbing Spicy Fish Pot
- Spicy Lamb Ribs
- Won Tons in Red Oil
- Dry Braised String Beans
- Salt & Pepper Tofu
- Spicy Explosive Entrails
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 370-372 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607
Planning details
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Bare Knuckle Pizza, Notable alternative
- Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar, Notable alternative
- Mr. Liu Noodle House, Notable alternative
- Binh Minh Quan, Notable alternative
- Golden Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
How Spices! 3 compares in Oakland
Choose Spices! 3 when ease is the priority and the group wants a casual Oakland meal without turning the reservation into a project. Bare Knuckle Pizza is the clearer pick for a pizza-specific night, while Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar is the better fit when a restaurant-and-bar format matters.
For diners choosing by craving, Mr. Liu Noodle House is the more direct noodle move, and Binh Minh Quan is worth cross-shopping for another Oakland casual meal. If the group includes vegetarians, Golden Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant is the safer first choice because its plant-based focus is clear before anyone sits down.
On value and ambiance, the right call is about certainty. Spices! 3 looks useful for a flexible, easy meal, but the peers above give more specific reasons to choose them: pizza, Vietnamese restaurant-and-bar energy, noodles, another casual Vietnamese option, or vegetarian cooking. For a special occasion or wine-led dinner, pick the venue with the format that matches the night rather than choosing only by location.
Explore Oakland
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Spices! 3 guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Spices! 3
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Spices! 3 | Oakland | No published awards |
| Bare Knuckle Pizza | Oakland | No published awards |
| Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar | Oakland | No published awards |
| Mr. Liu Noodle House | Oakland | No published awards |
| Binh Minh Quan | Oakland | No published awards |
| Golden Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant | Oakland | No published awards |
How Spices! 3 Oakland compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spices! 3 good for a special occasion?
The dress code is casual, so it is best approached as a relaxed Oakland option rather than a formal special-occasion setting.
What are the hours at Spices! 3?
Spices! 3 is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 AM to 10 PM, Saturday from 11:30 AM to 10 PM, and Sunday from 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM.
What are alternatives to Spices! 3 in Oakland?
Other Oakland options to consider include Bare Knuckle Pizza, Binh Minh Quan, Golden Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant, Mr. Liu Noodle House, and Tay Ho Oakland Restaurant & Bar.
