Berkeley Restaurants

Berkeley restaurant reviews

View all Berkeley restaurant reviews

Chez Panisse
Mar 16, 2009 by Bonnie from Victor, NY
Overall Rating: 10
Food:[10] • Service:[10] • Atmosphere:[10]

• There is nothing not to like about my experience at this restaurant.
• That my experience had to end.

“The flavors are incredible. It is hard to decipher what each distinct flavor is but they compliment each other tastefully well.”

Temari
Sep 13, 2007 by Jason from Oakland
Overall Rating: 8
Food:[10] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[8]

• Fantastic sushi.
• Can be slow when busy.

“My wife and I love this restaurant. Easily the best sushi we've found in Berkeley. It's not perfect: they've gotten very popular very fast, so when they're busy they are understaffed. If you go when they're busy, expect long waits for your food. Also, the ambiance music is repetitive and silly. Party Sushi this isnt. The wait staff is friendly to the point of being obsequious, and they quickly get to know their regular customers. Their English isn't strong, but, hey, it's an Asian restaurant! But what really matters is that the food is fantastic and very cheap for a sushi restaurant. Try everything on the menu. They also have real sochu cocktails. Try the ginger ale and plum wine one.”

Smart Alecs Intelligent Food
Jul 2, 2007 by Sonia from Berkeley
Overall Rating: 5
Food:[4] • Service:[4] • Atmosphere:[5]

• Supposedly the food is healthy.
• Mediocre food doesn't take credit cards or validate parking tickets.

“This restaurant does not live up to what it could be. The food is okay, but certainly nothing special. The burgers were average; for a couple of bucks more, go to Barney's and have more choices and a lot more flavor. The fries are really disappointing: Does sprinkling a little garlic salt on potatoes magically transform them into garlic fries? I expected a little more flavor than they had. There is no service, you stand in a line, order the food, go get the food, and bus your own table. Finally, the restaurant doesn't take credit cards, and it doesn't validate tickets from the nearby parking garage. There's no way that we're going back. It's not awful; it's just overpriced for what you get. For the same money, you can get much better food elsewhere.”

Smart Alecs Intelligent Food
May 19, 2007 by Jim from LA
Overall Rating: 10
Food:[9] • Service:[8] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Tasty inexpensive quick service cool location.
• Some unclean tables.

“Surprisingly good food and atmosphere and very reasonably priced. I had an avocado chicken burger with air baked French fries and a smoothie. Very fresh and tasty- fries were awesome. My g/f is vegetarian and she had vegan corn chowder soup with a tofu and avow sandwich. She loved it. It¿s on a corner location with open airy windows and you can see the cool telegraph avenue street vendors and people watch. Highly recommend.”

O Chame
May 2, 2007 by Tom from Beverly Hills
Overall Rating: 9
Food:[9] • Service:[9] • Atmosphere:[9]

• Great food, attentive service, reasonably priced, what's not to love.
• Can't you open one in west Hollywood?

“After a hectic drive up from la our host chose this for our evening meal. We noshed on the appetizer menu, which is wide ranging and quite enough for three people. Everything was wonderful- perfectly seasoned, interesting ingredients and reasonably priced. If the caramel balsamic gelato is not a constant on the menu, it should be. It's a triumph- they should sell pints. The next time I am in the bay area, I would go out of my way to revisit.”