The excellent fresh food and the choice of a relaxing indoor and sunny outdoor patio…read more Looking for a new lunch space on a busy sunny Berkeley Saturday. My usual haunts would be busy I knew. Found UQBAR on Yelp. It was bustling but tables opened up outside after I ordered. I did have to wait for a minute or two until the tables were bussed & wiped clean. I ordered the half soup and half sandwich which cost about $15. A surprisingly reasonable price. The mushroom soup was thick and the best I've had in a while. The lamb sandwich was succulent and melted in my mouth. I also ordered their milkshake which is made with coconut milk and a berry which name I don't remember right now. The shake was a nice chilling treat on a sunny day after a week of overcast days. Of course, I enjoyed sunbathing over my leisurely lunch. The only glitch was somehow my order got misplaced. After a long wait, I brought it to the attention of Benjamin the owner and order taker. It turned out that my order somehow got lost on a bustling morning. But Benjamin made good by offering me a full sandwich. It was the best lamb sandwich I've had in Berkeley for a while. Benjamin is a very nice person and didn't try to disguise or excuse the glitch. As I told him, the lamb sandwich was well worth the wait, especially since I was hungry when I first ordered and much much more hungrier because of the wait! To be fair, even in Berkeley venues I've frequented for a long time, this does happen once in a while when things are busy. But from what I can see the staff of UQBAR are typically OTJ. I'll be back to my new fave Berkeley lunch spot. Oh, it was easy parking on a Saturday.

My favorite neighborhood spot for a quick, casual lunch. Their chicken sandwich is consistently…read morefantastic, and the hummus is honestly otherworldly. Everything feels fresh, unfussy, and thoughtfully made. Part of me wants to gatekeep this spot because it's THAT good, but they deserve the love.

The absolute best breakfast burrito I ever had!!! At first glance, it looks simple, but when you…read morebite into it, it is bursting with flavor and love. I highly recommend adding sausage to it, and if you can, get their chipotle aioli on the side! Their chia seed overnight oats was incredible as well. Healthy and hearty! I love the stewed apples that comes with it, it complements the flavor layout so well. The place is cozy and service is thoughtful and warm. Cannot wait to come back!!

The best thing about this place is the people! Everyone was soooo nice and enthusiastic and seemed…read moregenuinely pleased to be doing what they are doing. They made good recommendations and were actually curious how we liked our meals. The food was good (Avocado Toast and Breakfast Burrito) and they made scrambled eggs from scratch. Do restaurants do that anymore or is it generally Sysco liquid eggs . Anyway it's a little hippie hole in the wall with a large, pleasant outdoor space. Would definitely go back!

This place saved me from traffic, ha…read more I was looking for a cafe near my dog' vet to take a meeting, and after fighting a bit of traffic, I found this place. It has its own parking lot (which is great). It's really spacious, with plenty of seating and relatively quiet. I ordered the huevos scramble with a chai. The chai was amazing (probably the best I've had since moving the west coast), and the food was yummy and filling. (They give you a lot of food). Friendly staff, and a nice little garden seating in the back. I will keep this place in my mind for the future.

It was my second time first time was great but this time it was horrible, from taking our order we…read morearrived 2:30pm the restaurant closes at 3:00pm. She was rushing so badly took our order half way and started to make the latte! Even though we asked to get the latte with the pancake she said its better for her to make it right now and she did make it before we get the pancake. My burger came with the fries which was soggy and drenched in oil which looked like it had been sitting there forever! Asked if they can change the fries for me and the second time was even worse than the first time cause you could tell they refried the old fries again tasted burnt completely inedible! Very disappointing cause I actually really like the place and ambiance but the service was really bad this time.

5 stars $27.26 for a…read more2 "salad" lunch plus Spanish omelette. Grilled purple cabbage was warm, beautifully charred and seasoned. Potato and radish salad was light, flavorful and really focused on bringing out the ingredients flavors Spanish patata was a hell of a potato omelette creation. Is it a little expensive? Sure. But is every $ on the plate? Yes.

Whatever you do, do not book an event here. Customer Service is entitled, condescending and rude…read more My daughter was planning a baby shower so we called a number of venues to get a quote. We had been to Tarocco for lunch and figured we would ask them for a quote, too. My daughter warned me that the owner is trying to be an "influencer" on Instagram and posts photos of herself in crop Tops so I should beware, but that's fine by me. We called to get a quote and had a discussion. After we gave the owner all of our information, she told us she wouldn't give us a quote unless we came in person (?!) Which is weird because this isn't how restaurants work. Typically for events restaurants will give you a quote via phone or email for the sake of convenience. We had gotten 3 quotes already from other restaurants via phone. Making us drive 45 mins just to get a quote is a total waste of time. Especially if we can't afford it. So my daughter called again, left a VM explaining we couldn't come in person due to time constraints, and again asked for a quote. No reply. We waited a few days and called again. No reply. Finally we got a voicemail from the owner saying that she didn't like my daughter's attitude ?!!! Apparently you're not allowed to ask this restaurant how much they charge for events unless you're face to face. This lady has absolutely no idea how to run a restaurant. We took our business elsewhere and recommend that you do, too.

Café Parisien is one of my absolute favorite coffee shops in Berkeley. Every visit feels like a…read moretiny trip to France. The cappuccino is fantastic, rich, smooth, and perfectly made every time. Their pastries are some of the best I've had in the East Bay, and the spinach quiche is always a winner. My boyfriend orders the White Mocha every single visit, which says everything you need to know about how consistently good it is. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, with French music playing in the background and the owners chatting with customers in French. It's the kind of place where you can settle in with a coffee, study for a few hours, catch up with a friend, or simply enjoy a slower pace for a little while. I also appreciate that they offer free Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets, outdoor seating, and a great selection of bagels, sandwiches, baguettes, and pastries. It's especially perfect for UC Berkeley students looking for a comfortable study spot. What truly sets Café Parisien apart is the people. The staff are incredibly kind, welcoming, and somehow always seem to remember their regular customers. You can feel that this is a family-run business that genuinely cares about its community. This is one of those rare places I'd love to keep as my own little secret, but it's far too good not to share. If you're looking for great coffee, delicious food, and a little taste of France in Berkeley, Café Parisien is a must-visit.

I just have to share, Café Parisien in Berkeley completely won me over. As soon as I stepped…read moreinside, it felt like a little corner of Paris. The pastries are beyond delicious, and the coffee has this perfect, rich flavor. Everyone who works there is so kind, and the whole vibe is warm and authentic. If you're ever in the area, you have to go, it's a true 10 out of 10 for me!

My friend and I tried Lulu's for dinner yesterday evening, and it was an excellent choice. He had…read morethe lamb dish, and I had the fried chicken; both were generous, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The lamb featured warm spices, turmeric rice, and roasted tomatoes, while the fried chicken was perfectly crispy outside and juicy inside. Everything tasted fresh and thoughtfully prepared, earning the food a solid 5/5. Lulu's has a warm, welcoming, and casual atmosphere. Guests order at the counter, then choose a table in the adjacent dining room, where water, napkins, and utensils are self-serve. Our food arrived within minutes, and the woman who took our order was positive, welcoming, and helpful. We arrived about an hour before closing and still had plenty of time to order and enjoy our meal. Overall, Lulu's delivered a warm, memorable 5-star dining experience, and I would gladly return. Thank you, Chef & Staff for creating this welcoming venue for east bay diners.

I'm disappointed I didn't make it before they changed the format and the menu. My friends were…read moreraving about the place now it is just ok. Tried a few things. I hope the business survives, I guess it was hurting so they had to downsize. The fried chicken is done well, moist juicy crunchy - unfortunately they only use white meat - but it's pretty good. The fries, not fresh. I hate old soggy dry fries. The falafel bowl is decent, mostly fresh ingredients (but the rice was not fresh, was old rice). Needs more sauce. Nice that the falafels crispy but not too greasy.

This place is my family's go to spot for not scones..., but pancakes…read more I remember coming here in defeat after finding out La Note's wait was far too long. But ever since then, this spot has become my favorite for breakfast. It's something about their pancakes, because they seem to nail it on the head. Super fluffy inside, but a bit crispy outside, and it tastes the perfect amount of buttery. The blueberry is my favorite if you're leaning toward something less sweet, but my family's favorite is not on the menu, it's the banana pancakes. We usually just ask the waiter and they'll make it, but sometimes they may be out of bananas though! Yes, the scones are delicious, but the pancakes are the star!

We purchased a Sconehenge apple and blueberry galette at Whole Foods a couple of days ago and found…read moreit underwhelming. For some unfathomable reason, there was a paper doily under the galette that got damp and stuck to the bottom of the crust, rendering it difficult to eat without getting paper in most bites. The flavors were okay, but the ratio of fruit to crust was quite skimpy. Additionally, despite refrigeration mold began growing on the fruit after one day. Unfortunately, this was probably not an experience we are likely to repeat.

What an amazing breakfast spot!!! Parking was under $5 for an hour.... Say what Bay Area!!!!!…read more The service was fast, friendly and very efficient. The food was to die for. Fresh and healthy to satiate.

We recently celebrated my abuelita's 83rd birthday here, and it was such a wonderful experience…read more The restaurant is beautiful, open, and aesthetically pleasing. The service was friendly and attentive, and our food came out surprisingly fast. Every dish we ordered was not only beautifully presented but also absolutely delicious. It's rare to find a place where the food looks this good and actually tastes just as amazing. We had a great time celebrating with family, and the atmosphere made the occasion feel extra special. This has easily become one of my favorite brunch spots in the East Bay, and I can't wait to come back.