Cheap, awesome, wearable Cal apparel. It's not dirt cheap, but for a few bucks more you DEFINITELY get way cuter stuff! Just got an american apparel tank and unisex cardigan with the cutest cal prints. Huge, great selection, fun to shop in. read more

DO NOT SHOP HERE! Maybe I should modify this statement with: "DO NOT SHOP HERE unless you are 110% sure you won't have to return your item." On Saturday, I bought a t-shirt for $18 that was my size, according to the tag. Took it home and tried it on Sunday morning and it was too small (I think it was just the style of the shirt that made it smaller than others shirts the same size). That Sunday afternoon I took the shirt back and was immediately yelled at by the guy at the door to check my bag in. I'm okay with checking my bag but he didn't have to yell. I told him I had a return and went up to the counter. A few seconds later a "manager" came over to process my return. I took it out of my bag and she immediately said she couldn't return it. I asked why. She said because it was wrinkled and wet. So the shirt WAS wrinkled because it was in my bag but it was not wet. This is the month of February and the weather is cold and damp, not to mention it had been raining all day, but the shirt was not in the rain at all, so it was just cold from being in the bag all day. So the rude "manager" tells me she can't take it back. I couldn't believe my ears at this point and I laughed. I asked her a few times if she was actually serious and then proceded to tell her how the shirt was in a bag and it was cold, not wet. She told me she couldn't put it back on the rack as it was and I said I didn't care. It's not damaged in any other way (other than being wrinkled) and it just didn't fit. I then asked her if I had to take it home and iron it before returning it and she said that I did because it was wrinkled. Seriously? She didn't have to be so rude about it. I mean, I'd hate my life too if I worked for minumum wage (and I have) but she didn't have to be a CU-Next-Thursday about it. It's a t-shirt and she doesn't own the place. So unless you have a item folded up perfectly and at perfect room temperature, you won't be able to return an item here for not fitting. This, coming from a place that sells t-shirts with holes and ink marks on them. Either way, I'm never shopping here again and I'm telling everyone I know to do their business elsewhere. read more

This store has a lot of selection. They have tons of Cal items, oakland, bay area, random t-shirts, hats, accessories. Today I found a cute Cal sweatshirt (since the student store never has a style I like.) I browsed the guys t-shirts as a gift for a friend, but they were sold out of the 4 styles... I have no clue why they still have the display shirts up if they're completely out of stock. The girl upstairs who let me in the dressing room was nice. The cashier guy was lame. Out of the few visits, service has been lame, so don't have high expectations. Some prices are ok, like $4 guy t-shirts. But a lot of items are too pricey IMHO. Worth a visit if the student store doesn't satisfy you. And then some :) read more

Intrigued by anything with the word "orgy" in the name I walked into here one day. An orgy of T-shirts it its! I came on the day before my birthday. I desired a cute outfit to wear to commemorate myself on the anniversary of my glorious arrival into this world. Its great to find independent shops that feature non-commercial clothing designed by artists. I went up to the top floor where there's all types of clothing for girls, not just t-shirts. They have a great selection of quality and inexpensive clothing for men, too. Its like a marked-down Urban Outfitters. I ended up getting a really hot (and cheap!) pair of jeans, a pink ruffled shirt that was on-sale and of course, a T-shirt. My shirt is awesome. It has a sketch of two dia de los muertos skeletons drinking tequila! I wish I had more money because there were tons of funny, beautiful and ironic t-shirts. There's also a huge selection of band shirts too (Johnny Cash!) It took me forever to decide on only one shirt. Some of the shirts have real artistic merit and some are just hilarious. If you have tons of Cal or East Bay pride, this is the place for you too. There is an array of clothing items to commemorate both things. Thanks to T-Shirt Orgy I was able to celebrate my birthday in style. read more

Wished they had more more more of a Bay Area selection. I know this place is in the East Bay, but maybe some South Bay love? Anyway... came here cause I had a groupon... didn't read the fine print at first and thought I could buy online, nope... so made a day out of it and came up. Got shirts for my kids, that's about it. I would come back next time I was in Berkeley. read more

This past spring, I was walking from auditing a social psychology class (with my Cal mentor) at Cal when this cute young English couple/Cal students were walking in the opposite direction. The lass was wearing a solid blue hoodie with GO BEARS" printed in golden yellow. I inquired as to where the hoodie was obtained. The lad volunteered that he had bought it for her at T-Shirt Orgy-Bear Basics a few weeks before. I found myself in the area a short time after two weeks before Mother's Day 2011. I got The Mother a "Cal Mom" sweatshirt in honor of her being a Boalt Hall alumni and that The Sibling was an undergrad. I found myself a very cute American Apparel T-shirt/V-neck with "Berkeley" in embroidered gold metallic thread in script form. American Apparel sizes seem to run big. I got a medium size which was too big for me. During the summer, I got the white version of this T-shirt made by American Apparel in a size small with the script "Berkeley" embroidered in silver. I was in the area running errands in the area, so I stopped by T-Shirt Orgy-Bear Basics. There was a fresh supply of the American Apparel navy gold script "Berkeley" V-Neck T-shirt. Score, I bought a size small this time out. Upstairs and the street level is mostly Cal Gear. The upstairs also has the Women's and Girls' section. And the basement has an interesting selection of current and vintage inspired T-shirts. (Read Aditya M.'s rave review.) I was surprised the one time I stopped in this establishment, I was surprised to find the associates putting purchases in Rasputin Records bags. I was informed by an associate that the owner of Rasputin Records also owns T-Shirt Orgy-Bear Basics. I usually buy my Cal gear from the Cal Student Store a block away, yet knowing that a Cal alum owns this store and that 10% of the profits go to UC Berkeley. I feel good knowing I have another source of where to score Cal gear. Touchdown! Go Bears! read more

This place has a huge selection of Cal gear and I've been coming here ever since I went to Cal. Staff is usually young students so don't expect much on customer service but they've always been friendly to me. Prices may be a tad higher compared to other Cal novelty stores but I always come here first because of their vast selection. One con to this store is that they have a STRICT return/credit policy so make sure to check what your items qualify for in their return policy. read more

Well, I'll start by saying I would give at least 4, if not 5 stars just for the store and the merchandise itself. I'll begin there. I do enjoy coming here whenever I'm in Berkeley. I only ever go to the basement level (T-Shirt Orgy) and it's definitely fun. Huge selection of every kind of tshirt you could want. This is where I get ALLLLL of my metal band shirts :) I do wish they came in women's sizes, but whatever, I can rock a men's small. Plus, when I'm wearing my heavy metal shirts I'm hardly going for a super girly look, haha. Prices are average, I would say, for any similar store/website..about $20 a shirt. But definitely raid the clearance racks.! Surprisingly good selection on those, I've found some awesome tshirts of obscure bands on em.! So, it's a fun place, cool atmosphere, awesome music, great selection, why only 2 stars.? The cashiers are beyond rude. I don't mean just once. I've shopped there a ton of times and they are consistently impolite and unfriendly, every time, no matter who the checker is. It doesn't matter how friendly, warm and polite you are to them. You will get no response in kind. I've come to believe they train their cashiers to be cold and unwelcoming. However, I will note that the cool people working the downstairs are always nice. It's just the checkers on the main level. read more

I used to go to this place because my great friend is one of their Tshirt maker in Oakland.I went last week to buy some of my Christmas presents here, and paid for 60$ Tshirts and Christmas presents for my family. As usual, a lot of Tshirts and jackets were on sale there. I saw 2 nice Tshirts on sale for $8 each (instead of $12 if I remember, kind of pefect Oakland Tshirts for family presents). Nothing said why they were on sale, and I did not look at carefully the Tshirts (anyway, a LARGE part of the store is always on sale and I was trusting them until yesterday). When I came back home, I saw that one of the Tshirts had in fact an ugly large spot, probably because of a printing problem when it was made. I thought that it would not be a problem, that there will give me a refund so I can buy there another Tshirt even more expensive. BUT, I went yesterday evening to see them, and told them that I was sorry but one of the Tshirts I bought have some defects... and what did they answer :o ??? Sorry, but the Tshirt was on sale BECAUSE of the spot AND that they won't give me any refund for it... So I told them that this is not ok, because such a Tshirt should not be on sale given the ridiculous awful quality + they did not tell me that the Tshirt has a problem and that I could not bring it back because it was on sale when I bought it.... Then, they repeated they cannot do anything, ignoring me without caring about my problem. I sincerly could not believe it... In conclusion, NEVER buy quickly anything on sale there or you could have a very bad surprise... The problem is that if it is not on sale, prices are similar than the Cal store (means pretty expensive), less the quality. This shop is completely not professional. These people should not be surprised why we shop more and more online, where these problems cannot happen. read more

Oh Bear Basics. I previously liked you more or less, but you disappointed me today. I raced out of work to try and buy a shirt for my friend before you closed. You close at 6:30, yet I arrived there at 6:06 only to meet an employee blocking the door, shaking his head. I asked him when you close, and he said 6:30, as if it was already or past that time. I said I needed to buy just one thing --I know what it is and where it is located-- but he shook his head and mumbled something about the registers being closed or something. If you close at 6:30, you should actually close at 6:30. I could've been in and out in 2 minutes. Lame! read more

3 floor orgy? Challenge accepted. T-Shirt Orgy is 3 floors of shirts, clothing and assorted gear- mainly shirts. It's a pretty cool store, perfect for a Bay Area wearable souvenir. Basement floor has damn-near every graphic tee you could want: funny shirts, tv/movie shirts, animal shirts, band/music shirts... it's like a Spencer's factory exploded down there. (Drawbacks: it's all mens shirts.) Main floor is men's, it looked like mostly like Bay Area-specific apparel, and gear for the local college. 2nd floor is the same but for women and kids, with a small corner of graphic tee goodness for the ladies. Seriously, bring more of that basement floor stuff to the 2nd floor!! I would've bought tons of shirts if they had them in my size. read more

I love this place so much....mostly because of T-Shirt Orgy but the Cal shop is cool too. Pricey but still cool ;) I will always stop in if I am close for a super cool t-shirt I can scare people with :) read more

It's nice that they have a nice selection of clothing for girls. Got complimented on a sweater that I bought here this past weekend. And nice knowing that they carry various selections of Threadless tees. Lots of bay area and hyphy movement shirts and sweatshirts if you're into that kind of stuff. Decently priced. Plus, an extra star cuz the store is pretty to look at from the outside compared to everything else on Telegraph. read more

Store hours posted to close 5:30 pm. Two employees in store with door locked 15 minutes after 5pm! Would not even address my knocks in door. It looked at me. Oh well I'm shopping student union! Karma says they will close that store because they have enough customers and money... no need to be in business/ read more

This is where you can explore tons of t-shirts from all sorts of designers that are hard to find elsewhere. They sell threadless t-shirts, which to threadless enthusiasts may seem like a rip off when you can simply buy threadless tees when the website is having a $10 sale. But unlike the website, this place carries limited edition tees and tees that have been sold out online. I came across some threadless tees for $9 in the clearance section that have been sold out for years. Too bad they were all size Medium or Large. That's my only gripe. They didn't have size Small for a lot of tees. I really wanted some Life Magazine screenprints, but they were out of the Smalls. Bah! At least I walked away with a Mr. T "Pity the Fool!" tee. read more

I do not shop at Bear Basics. This review is not for you, Bear Basics. Do not think otherwise. So, T-shirt Orgy is amazing! I've come here to hunt for many a thing, and 99% of the time I've found it. Anything, ANYTHING! You want a shirt for a TV show, there you go. Band? BAM! Just a cute/catchy shirt....OMG you have it. I would definately participate in an orgy with these t-shirts, no questions asked. read more

I'm not one to shop for Cal products, but if I were lookin', this would definitely be the place to start. It sure seems like the store has every Cal item ever made (too bad they don't carry affordable textbooks).......I believe the best part of the store is actually DOWNSTAIRS, they have a huge, ecletic collection of nonsense, urban and political tees, at least half of which I've never seen anywhere else! Lastly, I have to give T-shirt Orgy a shout-out because they carry my designs in their political section....! read more

This store rocks! Loved the tee's in the basement. My boyfriend who is the pickiest shopper left with two shirts. I found a cute hat. We both were able to score some merch. This is a store that has to be visited as long as you are on Telegraph. read more

Great selection of shirts, Cal/Bay Area or not. I saw a lot of hilarious shirts here. The sales are pretty good, but when things are normally priced, they're a little on the expensive side for my taste. The quality of many of the shirts is great though, a lot of the shirts are soft and comfy. American Apparel provides some (not most) of the shirts, if that means anything to you. Downstairs, there's a ton of guys' shirts for video games, tv shows, rock bands, you name it. It's pretty cool just to look around and see what they have. I liked the ironic humor shirts. :D read more

Want a t-shirt that says "THEBAY. We fresh." (using the Subway type font and colors)? Come here! Lots of Bay Area pride tees sold here that are unique and funky, without looking like the ones a lot of those ghetto peeps be wearing. A t-shirt costs about $14 ($12 if you're buying 2 or more). The third floor houses the women's clothing and two years ago, they used to sell all the trendy stuff I would covet. Now, one wall is devoted to witty tees, one entire section is devoted to Cal wear, and the rest is the trendy clothes. However, I noticed the quality of the clothes wasn't so great and the brands I used to see (i.e. Split) are missing. read more

I visited Bear Basics for the 2009 USC vs. CAL football game. To be honest, I'm kind of jealous we don't have one of these in U of SoCal. What I absolutely love is how they have selective American Apparel discounts where v-necks ranged from $12-$14 and even included a Cal printed raglan long sleeve JEALOUSSSSSS!!!!! Chances of coming back? I THINK SO! read more

Terrible Customer Service Experience over a very poorly Constructed Cal hooded sweatshirt that cost about $70 USD. I was PISSED. I used to love this place for the Tshirts, been coming here since the late 90s or Early 2000s, because they weren't bad and the selection was good. I think that part is still true. But, the Hoodies suck, are really expensive, and the customer service I got was really unprofessional, careless, and lacked intelligent responses(see below). "Without a tag I can't even ring it up." "Without a receipt I can't return it." "You have to have a receipt even for dysfunctional products, even if you can prove that you bought it by credit card." Gave them several opportunities to remedy the situation, and all I got were blank stares and a bunch of garbage about how I should hang onto my reciept? This isn't a TV. It's a sweatshirt that you've marked up 800%(literally). It was so obviously frayed, that I have NEVER heard of a retailer not returning it for the same product. I am considering contacting the BBB because the product is that poorly constructed and overpriced, that it's a tourist trap. BE WARNED!!! read more

The T-Shirt orgy always has amazing t-shorts. Only thing I don't like, is the lack of Madonna t-shirts. But the selection of Cartoon/ Comic Book t-shirts are endless. There is an Archie Shirt that says "original playa" that I had my eye on. Keep up the great work here! read more

A store with the word "Orgy" hehe. laugh will...ya! If you want the coolest shirts, make your way here. You will hit "the pot of gold" finding "thee" shirt you want. From threadless shirts, cartoons, super heroes, bands, college, punk, emo, whatever you want, you got it type of shirt. These are no volcom, hurley, o'neil, rvca, lrg, obey, ed hardy, element, or any type related. These are one or almost original types of shirts. Some are made with better quality, some are not, but I will tell you, they are truly non trendy yet hip. Nearly identical or as nice as Urban Outfitters type style and Zumiez. Disclosure:You could easy spend an hour here, so shop carefully. read more

I know this place better as Futura. 3 glorious floors of clothes: graphic print T's, Cal/Bay Area pride, and a women's section up top. I'm not really into graphic print t-shirts, and a lot of the shirts in the basement aren't worth an $18 price tag (except maybe the Threadless t-shirts and music-related t-shirts), but I do like their selection on the third floor for the ladies. Yeah, again, it's a little expensive, but I figure if you really love your purchase and you wear it a lot and it LASTS, then it's worth it. Besides, it's not like they don't have sale sections (just keep in mind that their return policy is 7 days, for store credit or exchange only, or something strict like that). They also sell other trinkets like hats and posters. Furthermore, they play decent to good music (I remember hearing Aesop Rock on one visit -- that was pleasant). PS. I always have a small purse on hand, initiate the act of checking my bag, and they always refuse. read more

Their basement is veritably the most epic part of the bay area!! They have the awesomest of tees ever!! I go crazy every time I come here. I mostly buy their anime and random threadless-type funny tees. Today I got an awesome Tracy Jordan (30 Rock) tee and another Domokun one! They have tons of music band tees of bands I have never heard of ever (maybe they are so hipster, they don't even exist yet) !! Only sucky thing about this place are the prices :( They seriously need to bring those down... I tend to pick up atleast 5-6 awesome tees in my initial rounds of the place, but restrict myself to buying a max of two on any one visit. 5 stars for having the awesomest collection of tees I have ever seen under on roof !! read more

Aw, I love this place. Everytime I roll through Berkeley I've got to stop here. It's like 3 stores in 1. There's girly digs on the top floor, Cal merch in the middle, and tshirt orgy in the basement. I love it all! I've purchased here over the years and always find something new and fun. In true Berkeley fashion, there's lots of "legalize" shirts, of course lots of Cal gear, and "hella" verbiage (not to be confused with "hella verbiage") on tees & tanks everywhere. It's fun and funky and Berkeley. I'll always have a soft spot for this establishment. read more

Every time I visit another UC campus like Berkeley or Santa Barbara, I always ask myself, "WHY DON"T WE HAVE THIS IN SANTA CRUZ?". I am sure SC doesn't suck ALL that much, but we don't have a lot of stuff other campuses do! And T-Shirt Orgy/Bear Basics is one of them! They have an amazing array of Cal t-shirts and sweatshirts and anything else Cal-related. Even though I don't even go here, I wanted to buy so much stuff. Random I know, because I'd be representing the wrong school if I had all their gear. The first floor is everything "Cal" and the second floor is more for girls. They have American Apparel tanks and shirts and even girly clothes not Cal-related for girls. The more clothes the merrier! The prices are just right. Not too pricey and really reasonable. It makes sense to spend $30 on a sweatshirt. At my school everything is super expensive and have a tiny bookstore that sells UCSC gear. Great place for Berkeley souvenirs and what not. read more

Good store to stop by for Cal gear (but I prefer the Student store or Bancroft Clothing Company since I like the way they're organized a bit more). However, Bear Basics has more selection of other T-Shirts if you're looking for something other than Cal gear. Parking isn't the best in this area, but there are a couple of garages nearby if there is no street parking. read more

T-Shirt orgy is the ultimate destination if you're picky like me and want to get that perfect Cal shirt, sweater, hoodie, sock, underwear, hat, etc etc etc. I bought my very first piece of Cal gear here a couple of months before becoming a freshman, and went back last week to fulfill my urge for another Cal t-shirt before leaving for good. The selection here is phenomenal, and unparalleled by Bancrroft Clothing Co, the Cal Student Store, or any other place around. The designs range from your typical "Cal" across the chest to a shirt with Matrix writing on it. The prices are awesome too! Get 3 shirts, and they'll cost you $12 each (or $14 if you get less than 3). The higher quality shirts, such as the ones that are made in Egypt with much softer cotton, or the American Apparel selection, are some of the best you can find. I've always been taught it's better to pay more for higher quality, and $16-18 for these shirts is definitely worth it. Plus, they feel amazing on you. The only downside is the expensive zip-ups and hoodies. The only fairly priced ones contain very generic designs, whereas the higher end ones can run for upwards of $60. However, that's expected, so it's not too big of a deal. read more

First floor of Futura with T-Shirt Orgy in the basement. They have TONS of cute Cal logo related stuff. I particularly like the T-shirts that make fun of UCLA and Stanford. Go Bears! read more

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this spot. Every time I come here I leave with something totally unique. Downstairs is the best place to get your shirts. The Oakland shirts are the best =) read more

Want an epic t-shirt? Then this is your one stop shop for every t-shirt need! From dope Bay shirts to unique band t-shirts, this store has a top that can appeal to anyone. After searching the web endlessly for an "I Hella Love the Bay" shirt, I stumbled upon it here and was so ecstatic that it was pink and black. If you are looking for an awesome shirt for a decent price then definitely make it a point to stop here when you're on Telegraph. read more

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T-shirt Orgy is bad ass. You walk in street level, and then descend into a basement full of some of the coolest shirts you've ever seen. Feast your eyes on walls and walls and racks and shelves and cases and buckets of shirts. No where else can you find this many shirts in so many genres. If you can't find the kind of tee you're looking for, then it must not exist. The best part is: the price. You can get tees from as cheap as $8, and the average is just about $15 a shirt. I especially love coming here for their Threadless selection, and I can buy here instead of waiting for it to be processed online and shipped. read more

Possibly my favorite stop for unique t-shirts. On the disappointing side, I couldn't find any good hip-hop shirts and they were out of the "The Bay--We Fresh" (Subway--Eat Fresh) jacket in my size. BUT I did manage to pick up a sick McCain/Palin "Maverick" Top Gun and "East Bay" (Ebay) tee. They're hilarious. read more

This one's for you, T-Shirt Orgy. I love the way you can bring me back to the nostalgia of my childhood or make me laugh a little bit to myself with a simple t-shirt. From the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to Doug, from math humor to bands from the 80s and 90s, there's something for everyone to relate to on a nostalgic level. I just really wish I didn't have to think of my Generation T books (that include ideas on how to revamp an old or unflattering t-shirt with some scissors and a needle and thread) when I browse through the t-shirts. I really wish they had some of their stuff in women's fitted tees. But I wouldn't mind coming back again. read more

I always go to this store when I go to Berkley. It's a good place to a get a few good laughs from the t-shirts. I haven't ever purchased anything for myself, but they do have some great Grateful Dead shirts for my dad. Shirts are price around $15-20, which is really decent. They don't tend to have a lot of variation when it comes to their t-shirts. Meaning they will have the same ones over and over again. They don't really get different styles or anything like that. This place would be great if you are a stoner, hipster, Berkley/Cal/Oakland lover who wants to represent, or someone with an intense love of some mainstream punk rock band. read more

Cal shirts, hoodies, mugs, keychains, sunglasses-- you name it, T-Shirt Orgy has it. I'm not a huge school spirit person, and I don't often seek out those branded, school-logo items. But when I do, I come here. You'll find items very close to what you'd find at the Cal Student Store, but at far, far cheaper prices. There's also more selection if you'd like a non-UC Berkeley shirt, maybe one to rep the Bay Area, Oakland, or the city of Berkeley. The quality of the items here is what you'd expect for the price-- it's not the highest standard in the world, but it's good value for what you're paying. The customer service could use some work. But if you're just comparing stores that sell Cal and Bay Area apparel, this place is well above its competition. read more

True to it's name, it's a store that sells a LOT of t-shirts, specializing in humorous, band-oriented and hip-hop styles. Every time I go, I'm always tempted to pick up something new. I docked them a star for generally being out-of-stock of whichever shirt I happen to covet most that day. Also, while they play an interesting mix of music, occasionally it'll be really loud thrash metal, which isn't exactly conducive to a happy shopping experience in my mind. NOTE: This review refers only to the basement "T-Shirt Orgy" section. I'm a dude and I don't go to Cal, so I don't spend much time on the Futura levels. read more

Can we talk about overpriced. You can find the same exact items in the gear stores near BART for way cheaper. They don't really carry much Nike Cal gear, you'd have to find that in the actual Berkeley Student Store. So if you're looking for Under Armor, Nike, or Adidas, you won't find it here. Most of the stuff is Cal logos printed on Hanes shirts/sweaters. Same with the shirts that rep the Bay Area. Cool logos printed on cheap fabric. I suggest going online and creating your own T, its the same thing. 3 stars for cool gear, but bad quality. read more