Over the last year, we witnessed the loss of some long-time loved restaurants on Lakeshore (Lakeshore Diner, Shakewell/The Well, and Lake Merritt Bakery). Fortunately, these spaces have been filled with new restaurants destined to steal your heart and make your belly happy once you try them!
Crazy Block – A delightful mélange of comfort foods
With a quick smile and a confident attitude that says “we’re all good here,” Ben Block, the namesake of Crazy Block Cheesecake, BBQ, and Latkes (3355 Lakeshore Avenue), makes owning and running a restaurant feel like a celebration.
“We’ve been open for just over eight months,” Ben explains. “For years, we sold at farmers’ markets, pop-ups, and community events. We also wholesaled to Berkeley Bowl and some local restaurants. Even with the new restaurant, we still do all of that.”
Block says that November has been his busiest month yet and “we’ve been getting all types of support from people all over town and from many towns over. I’m really happy with all the support we’ve been getting.”
I happened to drop by at about 3 pm to do the interview. Ben was quick to inform me that “we are in the middle of “Latke Happy Hour,” which runs every day, from 2-5 pm. For $2.50 (each), you can get latkes, regular beer, and watermelon agua fresca. It’s also Monday, so we do karaoke every Monday, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. If you sing, you get 10% off.”
I asked Ben about the cartoons that festoon the walls. “I love cartoons, video games, animé, and all that stuff. I know a lot of other people do too. Instead of only enjoying that at home, Ben knows that “it’s fun to have the cartoons and everything outside where everybody can enjoy ’em when they’re out and about.”
If you’re craving barbecue, latkes, or cheesecake, those are the three staples at Crazy Block. Why these three? “They’re basically just all my favorite comfort foods. I use a lot of family recipes,” Ben explains.
As Chanukah approaches, it’s definitely Latke season. (Latkes are fried potato pancakes.) When I’ve made them at home, my kitchen gets thoroughly splattered with oil. Ben told me he has a specially designed shallow latke-frying station that can make 30 latkes at once. “We called October ‘Laktober,’ because we sold so many. Now with Chanukah coming up, we’re getting in gear. It should be a crazy month of latke making!”
And then there’s the barbecue. For those who don’t eat meat, you can get BBQ jackfruit (delicious) and salmon (which I haven’t tried yet). “We have all kinds of different options. Brisket is definitely the most popular item here. We smoke it for about 16 hours on oak wood. We also have the three-way sandwich — chicken, brisket, and lamb. Or you can get the Chiblamon (chicken, brisket, lamb, salmon). There’s also beef ribs and dinosaur beef short ribs on the weekend.”
Ben tells me that he also offers specials from time to time. “We’ve done oxtails and are working on links right now.”
Ben and I forgot to talk about the cheesecakes, but he makes an assortment of regular and seasonal varieties—both mini and large. I’ve tried a few different ones, and they are scrumptious!
“I love our customers,” Ben says with a hearty laugh. “We have the greatest customers in the world. Everybody shows us a lot of love when they pull up. Whether from near or far, people bring a lot of energy and vibe. I couldn’t be more grateful for our customers.”
Crazy Block is open from 11 am-9 pm (closed on Tuesdays), and 11 am-6 pm on Sundays.
Obelisco: A Fresh Taste of Tradition on Lakeshore
Obelisco, now thriving at 3407 Lakeshore, is more than just a restaurant—it’s a family legacy brought to life by Leticia Chavez, the founder and chef. Leticia was too busy for an interview, so I spoke with her son, Alain, a manager at the family-run restaurant.
After an eight-month closure between their old Fruitvale location and the new space, Alain shares, “I imagine some of our old clients thought we were permanently closed, but they’ve found us, and so have many new neighbors at this location. We feel blessed that we’re seeing old and new here.”
On a typical Tuesday evening, the restaurant is packed. “It gets even crazier on Friday and Saturday nights. We can’t complain – everyone’s very happy,” Alain says.
What makes Obelisco special? Alain doesn’t hesitate: “It’s all about my mom. She makes the food with lots of love.” Leticia learned to cook as a child in Jalisco, Mexico, where her father was known as the “Pork King”—famous for pozole and pork dishes. “My mom introduced healthy Mexican food to Oakland that wasn’t there before. People thought Mexican food was all greasy and heavy. My mom introduced Mary’s chicken and Niman Ranch meats, organic, locally sourced as much as possible. All handmade. No frozen anything and nothing is store-bought. That’s what’s special—being able to enjoy the quality and flavor of fresh food.”
The handmade quality is a point of pride. “Mom doesn’t use packaged tortillas. There’s a lady back there helping my mom make them. All the sauces are made from scratch. Everything is just made for the day. We don’t have a freezer, so we can’t even have anything pre-made for the rest of the week,” Alain explains. Even the cocktail menu matches the food’s quality, with fresh garnishes sliced and dehydrated upstairs.
Family recipes are at the heart of Obelisco. “My mom’s recipes come from my grandfather and grandmother in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. The pozole is my mom’s specialty. She serves pozole every day, when most other restaurants only have it on the weekends.”
Customer favorites include the chile rellenos, described by Alain as “a light batter and cheese with a really delicious red sauce.” The mole is another standout, earning praise from a customer who compared it to the best she’d ever had in Mexico City.
Obelisco is truly a family affair. Leticia is the chef, Alain and his sister Juliana serve as managers, and the youngest sibling helps with tech and emails.
When asked about his go-to dish after a long day, Alain says, “I always end up with the flan. My mom makes this delicious little mini flan. When I want to indulge, I’ll have the mole—it’s rich and full of spices. My mom also makes a really good beef soup; it’s not on the menu, but all the regulars know about it.”
Obelisco is open from 4:00-9:00 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, and will soon offer Mexican brunch on the weekends. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a new neighbor, Obelisco promises a taste of tradition, made with love every day.
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