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    Brown's

    3.1 (59 reviews)
    InexpensiveAmerican, Sandwiches, Salad
    Closed 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

    Brown's Photos

    BROWN'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    avocado toast
    Vivian T.

    best spot on campus for breakfast w/ a meal swipe! There wasn't any line either so it's great for a quick grab breakfast and there is plenty of seating inside. Avocado toast came with two eggs on top. The yolk wasn't runny but it wasn't fully cooked either. That's my personal favorite type of sunny side up, but it is probably going to vary how they long they cook yours. Though I wish the bread was a little more toasted, I would definitely recommend trying it for yourself! It also came with a side of either a hash brown or fruit cup that you could grab yourself from the fridge.

    Avocado toast
    Amber C.

    Favorite place to use my meal swipe! For breakfast, get their avocado toast. For lunch or dinner, get their salmon with chimichurri and double vegetable medley. I also stock up on tea bags here. Great seating inside and outside!

    salmon with ancho orange sauce, vegetable medley, and garlic fries
    Jade W.

    let me make this clear: browns cafe is by no means a ~good~ restaurant if we're comparing it to actual off-campus eats. the food is pretty average american fare, the service... leaves much to be desired (you *will* be scowled at while there), and the value when using real money isn't particularly great either. BUT! as a student at uc berkeley who has to deal with the atrocity that is cal dining, browns cafe is THE place to use your meal swipes on an actually decent meal. *disclaimer: i've heard of some people discovering bugs in their food at browns, but i personally have never found a bug in my food here, which cannot be said about the other cal dining halls.* ok, food review time! (it's kinda weird to rank this one, since you basically just choose a protein, two sides, and a sauce for your lunch combo plate, so i'll be ranking individual proteins, sides, and sauces lol) a-tier: salmon (protein choice): my go-to protein choice at browns, and arguably one of the only safe places to consume fish with cal dining. (no food poisoning-inducing rockfish here!) chimichurri sauce (sauce choice): my go-to sauce choice! it's a little bit greasy, but it's also really tasty and fragrant. in my opinion, it matches the best with the other things in my lunch plate. fresh greens salad (side choice): one of my go-to side choices here! the salad mix is always weirdly fresher than at other cal dining options. i also really like the dressing they use, and it goes well with the chimichurri sauce, so highly recommend ordering them together! b-tier: chicken breast (protein choice): usually not super dry like most chicken breasts, and it's also never pink or gray! can't say the same about the chicken in the dining halls! roasted vegetable medley (side choice): fairly solid vegetable option if you don't like salad. it's a little bland, but it's pretty good with the right sauce choice. garlic fries (side choice): i usually go for fries if im feeling like something a little less healthy lol. the fries are pretty good (never stale), but they can get bland towards the end, and for some reason browns doesn't have any ketchup/bbq sauce! :( c-tier: tri-tip (protein choice): really tough and not tasty imo. sometimes the dining hall does a better job with this (when they actually cook their beef right). tofu (protein choice): really bland and a bit rubbery. tbh cal dining just never does tofu right! ancho orange sauce (sauce choice): i tried this sauce once because i was getting bored of having the chimichurri sauce everyday, and it was just NOT it. the sauce is reminiscent of orange chicken sauce, which just doesn't work with any of the proteins or sides that browns offers. szechuan sauce (sauce choice): yet another L sauce choice from browns. it's not spicy at all and doesn't really taste like anything a legit szechuan restaurant would sell... but then again, what was i expecting from cal dining? tldr; browns cafe is a solid lunch choice if you're on campus and unable to get a meal off-campus, or if you're just looking to use up your meal swipes lol

    Tofu in orange sauce, mashed potatoes, and salad
    Carise S.

    The food here is healthier compared to the other dining halls, but the staff's attitude is an issue. I don't appreciate the excessive yelling and poor treatment.

    A feast for the eyes and soul. Encountering not one but two cooked eggs plopped atop my toast filled me with immense joy--they knew I was a gym rat in dire need of protein. Complemented by a cup of fruit, this was a meal fit for a queen. Fork in my left hand and knife in my right, I made the first cut, dissecting into this monstrosity of a toast with intent. An unassuming fistful of arugula awaited. What a peppery storm! I offer a word of advice to Pat Brown's: go lighter on the greens. Still, I kept my game face on and continued to cut through tenaciously. To my surprise, I stumbled upon a hidden gem: a runny golden egg yolk. My day was made. All my worries flew out the window. You've redeemed yourself, Cal Dining. Thank you Pat Brown's. I will be back again.

    Tri tip with chimichurri, garlic fries, heirloom greens

    Probably the best use of a meal swipe at Cal. The salmon with orange sauce is delicious and the tri tip with chimichurri is often very good. Garlic fries and greens are also tasty. There is usually a 15-25 minute wait but it is definitely worth it.

    menu
    Vivian L.

    good for meal swipes but I wouldn't come here otherwise - service and food quality are noticeably better than the dining halls and Golden Bear Cafe but still not quite up the standard of a normal restaurant lunch plate ($15.00): choice of protein (chicken, steak, salmon, tofu), sauce (chimichurri, ancho orange, Szechuan), 2 sides (vegetable medley, salad, brown rice, heirloom grains, garlic fries), and a drink (bubly, coffee, tea, milk, juice) - chimichurri sauce was solid but very oily, forward flavors are cilantro and lemon - ancho orange was essentially an orange chicken sauce, very sweet - salmon was my go-to and usually done pretty well - chicken was sometimes overcooked and sometimes undercooked - steak was rather tough - tofu was fairly bland since it's in one big block - heirloom grains was a mix of purple rice, kale, cranberries, and other grains - garlic fries were usually soggy but tasty - vegetable medley depended on what they had in stock: zucchini, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, broccoli

    Tri tip, veggies, garlic fries
    Katherine G.

    I'd say it's more of 3.5 stars, but definitely 4 if you're using meal swipes. Unfortunately I no longer have those, so had to pay with actual money. They opened back up recently and are currently only serving one thing, which is essentially a combination plate with your choice of protein, sides, and a drink. I decided to try the trip tip with szechuan sauce, and got veggies and garlic fries as the sides. Honestly everything tasted pretty decent for campus food standards--I especially liked the vegetables. It was a bit hectic ordering since they try to move everyone along so fast, but the food came out quick. If you have meal swipes and want a good lunch, come here!

    Menu 09/2019
    Van L.

    Compared to other campus eateries, Pat Brown's is the standout winner with its varied offerings and overall better quality of food. I tried the portabello panini and loved it! Although the sourdough tasted a bit stale and I wished there was more filling, all the flavors worked really well together and honestly, you can't go wrong with pesto! My friend ordered the flipped plate with chicken, broccoli and roasted potatoes. The chicken was SUPER dry and everything else tasted like your typical, basic broccoli and roasted potatoes. I recommend trying more adventurous flipped plates option but whatever you decide to order, skip the chicken!! Definitely come visit if you have the flex dollars and even if you don't, I still think it'll be worth the visit. I'll be back!

    Me after eating Browns for the 100000th time in a row because it does not miss just like Steph Curry against the Hornets February 15 2011.

    Unfortunately, if you happen to find yourself as a UC Berkeley student, you will experience a rude awakening: for the most part, on-campus Berkeley food fails to satisfy the palate. Luckily, Browns Cafe offers a solution, the only solution. Browns Cafe is the best food not only on UC Berkeley campus, not only on a California campus, not only on a college campus, but also the world. Whether it is the seared salmon fillet, the juicy tri-tip, or the chimichurri sauce coupled with the protein, Browns Cafe DOES NOT MISS. Browns cafe is Steph Curry in his February 15, 2011 game against the New Orleans Hornets (100% field goal percentage). Paired with such excellent food is the incredible service. Lines are short, with amiable workers always smiling, obviously understanding they are working in the best restaurant the West has to offer. I will never go to lunch elsewhere; Browns Cafe has my heart. Below is my reaction after eating the salmon, garlic fries, and vegetable medley.

    Raya K.

    Pay Browns has not been eliminated from on campus meal point locations! Glad it's here after Ramona and Qualcomm has gone, sad. Really enjoyed the meatballs and mashed cauliflower in my flipped plate, though would have preferred the roasted broccoli to be softer.

    Sunflower cutlet sandwich with kombucha is the bomb :)
    Cindy M.

    Ambiance: Always crowded at the hour mark after 10 AM. People want their food fix! Lots of students eating and studying at the same time~~ oh college life :P Service: Nice friendly servers! :) Food: I like the burritos and sunflower cutlet sandwiches! :) Price: ~$7-8 per meal kinda pricey for what you get :/ Tip: - try the burritos! Conclusion: I would only come here if I had meal points or if I was really really desperate for some food.

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    8 months ago

    Lost my ticket. Waited 40 minutes for food. Located in a beautiful part of cal, close to a lot of nice areas.

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    4 years ago

    Really bad service. The servers here act like you owe them moneys with a very unhappy look.

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    Picnic

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    (73 reviews)

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    A true hidden gem right at the bottom of Solano Ave in Albany!…read more I'm embarrassed to admit that Picnic has been around for about 5 years in the east bay and I've just tried it for the first time this week. But I'm so glad I was finally introduced to it. The staff greet you promptly when you enter and you can even watch them work effortlessly together in the open prep-station behind the counter. They have a gorgeous display of deli items, wines, cheeses, cold sides, and even some cute candles & house made croutons. They've got everything you would need for an elevated picnic or even a barbecue with the family. They have an intriguing selection of house made sausages-- the Chicken Tikka Masala sausage caught my eye and I can't wait to try it. They also sell whole smoked quail that are seasoned heavily yet each bite has just the right amount of smokiness, spices, and salt. Their hot food items and sandwiches are perfect for a quick lunch during your break from work or on your way home. There are also a few counter seats if you want to enjoy your meal there. So far I've tried the smoked quail, the Muffaletta sandwich, and their green lentil soup with chicken + veg. The sandwich was filled to the brim and each bite was a flavor bomb. The lentil soup was very comforting & paired well with the smoked quail. I'm looking forward to trying everything they have to offer.

    Holy potatoessss! This place is incredible. There's nothing quite like getting a rotisserie…read morechicken, potatoes and hot olives (their $20 chicken lunch special) and walking to the spa for a hot tub. The brownie was outrageous as well! It came with theee sauces and of course the garlic aioli won (next to the romanesco and I think chimichurri?). I wasn't crazy about those last two but that garlic aioli was to dieeee for. The service was amazing and fast and honestly the store was so cute that I kept picking things up to add to my order. I couldn't have been more pleased with this place and will absolutely come back.

    Brown's - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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