Pinx Pop Up Kitchen

So fun. Delicious

I had today the maple bacon and sweet potato waffle with ice cream, very delicious, hit the spot. They should have a permanent lactation!!!

Truth be told, brunch doesn’t appeal to me that much. Mainly because: there are always lines, it’s pricey for what it is, I’m tempted to day drink, and I always feel like going back to bed afterwards. Usually, I’ll just wait for lunch.
But, when a friend excitedly forwarded me the Pinx Pop-​Up brunch menu, I was like «hmmm, that’s different». Red velvet pancakes, shrimp & grits, sweet potato waffles. For $ 15, why the heck not?
They hosted their pop-​up at the Sound Room in Uptown Oakland, which added an extra element of surprise, but also gave the space a more corporate vs. cozy feel. We had reserved a table for 9 people at 11am, but weren’t seated until almost 11:45, as they were running behind. I get it, these things are hard to predict. We might have been peeved if it weren’t for the owner coming out to chat with us and give us free packets of cookies to hold us over. The mood outside was festive, as all the pop-​up supporters peeked through the windows, waiting for their turn to indulge in the 3-​course brunch party.
Once seated, the food varied from good to great. The spicy shrimp & cheesy grits were the winner, I could have eaten an entire pot full. The sweet potato pancakes were also plate-​licking good, with their crispy crust, gooey center, and salted caramel sauce soaking in. The thick cut bacon was some of the best I’ve had, and I usually pass my bacon to my boyfriend. The red velvet pancakes and frittata, I could have done without. Same with the coffee — it was too reminiscent of my «International Delight» days. Shame.
The Pinx staff were enthusiastic, friendly, and working hard to make this pop-​up go smoothly. There were some inevitable kinks, but the upbeat spirit and soulful food left us all with a sweet taste in our literal and proverbial mouths.
What does this mean for you? If you’re looking for a caterer, that’s what they do!

John Z. has his finger on what’s new and happening in Oakland. When he rounded up some of the usual suspects to try out Pinx we had an idea of what we were getting. If you RSVP’d a three course brunch was only $ 15 not including drinks. If you arrived to check it out the day of, it was $ 20.
We ended up waiting for about 30 minutes after our rezzie, so Craig, one of the owners of Pinx came out and gave us some red velvet cookies while we waited. They were good but really sweet and I’m a fan of sweet so saying it was really sweet is saying a lot coming from me.
The dishes were all Southern style but I think if there was a better mix of savory, it would’ve been a real hit at our table. Most of us all enjoyed the shrimp n’ grits — easily the winner of the day. Next up were Farmer’s market frittata, maple glazed bacon, and red velvet pancakes with a cream cheese glaze. The bacon was the best of the three and the portions were bite sized but not overwhelming. The last plate was the Fruit compote, sweet potato waffles with a bourbon glaze syrup. I liked the fruit compote mainly because there were no strawberries (I’m allergic).
Pinky herself came out say hello to us. The service was a little off because the vegetarian plates were brought to the carnivores. The glitches weren’t too bad considering this was their debut in Oakland. It was nice to meet the owners, it gave it a more homey feel.
Would I try Pinx again? Possibly if there was a little more savory to balance the sweet dishes. The RSVP price made it a pretty decent deal.

I rolled my Whip Black Beauty to Down town OakTown. I was meeting John Zees posse. We were going to try Pinx Pop Up Kitchen
We had a a Reservation for 11am. But they were running a little behind. So we were seated at 11:30 am.
We started with Shrimp Grits which were very tasty.
Our Second Course was Corn Fritter, Red Velvet Pancakes and Maple Bacon –Yummy!!!
Third Course was Sweet Potato Waffles and Mixed Fruit. Tasty also.
Service was Good, Friendly
I would Eat at Pinx again.

If you’re one of those lucky enough to think «life just can’t get any sweeter,» you might be in for a surprise.
Thanks to a regular e-​bulletin highlighting goings-​on in central Oakland, we found out Pinx catering was holding their first-​ever pop-​up brunch. The menu’s fare, more «dessert for breakfast”-like than I generally lean towards, but the offerings looked amazing. So out went the rallying call, and a group of ten decided to sally forth on a sweet adventure.
Held at the Sound Room, our party of nine (yes, our original group was decimated) had a half-​hour wait past the rezzie time; but co-​owner Craig came out to apologize and offer free cookies for our trouble. Once inside and seated, a sense of happy managed chaos permeated the air as our servers took drink orders and proceeded serving our three tasting courses:
1. Shrimp ‘n grits (
). Many of us thought this was our best dish, and I agree. The shrimp was succulent; the grits smooth and creamy; the dollop of tomato sauce adding just the right accent of sweet and spice.
2. Farmer’s market frittata, maple glazed bacon, and red velvet pancakes with a cream cheese glaze (
). All very good, though the frittata IMO not quite in the same league as the rest of the food; the pancakes, a perfect size for me. The hearty bacon my favorite from this course (tip: sit next to generous vegetarians for a bacon bonus).
3. Fruit compote, sweet potato waffles with a bourbon glaze syrup (
. As with all the courses, excellent presentation. Best part of this course; you could really taste the sweet potato in the waffle.
Aside from the wait, there were a few small glitches with the service, and the bill, which all got remedied. As well, the coffee served was hazelnut-​flavored only, which wasn’t communicated until we asked after being served (I understand the «sweet» theme permeating all strata of a menu, but perhaps serve regular as well next time for those who like the contrast with the sweet courses?)
This might’ve been a four-​star review, but the positive energy of the staff and hosts (even Pinky came by our table to see how we were enjoying ourselves, how fun is that?) and the company of fellow adventures rounds up to five. Plus, this was their very first pop-​up EVER, so I can only imagine how awesome future events like this will be. Please, try them yourself … I bet the results will leave you tickled pink.

My girls and I had an amazing time at Pinx Pop up Kitchen! They definitely need to make this a permanent gig!
The food made me dance and my other girlfriend needed a cigarette after our meal because it was that good!
We had a pre-​fixe menu today to include shrimp and grits, frittata, red velvet pancakes, maple bacon, sweet potato waffles and mixed fruit. Everything was mouthwatering especially the sweets! I was savoring each and every bite.
Service was friendly and super attentive.
Loved the décor and what they did with this temporary space. Pinx style and food was expressively showcased. Love the simple and bright pink décor.