If you're looking for authentic middle eastern gyros, this is your place. Every dish is flavorful and the portions are amazing. I've been coming here for the past six years and the quality has been consistent. The lamb is top-notch, so if you're a fan of it, there's no question what you should order. All the meat they use is butchered fresh--and you can taste it. If you're going to ask "what item should I get?," I'm going to say, "Try all of them!" From the wraps to the plates, you won't be disappointed! read more

Came here late one night because we had just left Kip's, and it was nearly 2am...so there were not a lot of options for us to get a warm meal. We stumbled upon Cal Gyros, just glad to see that they were open. However, we didn't know that the place was cash only, which probably started us off on the wrong foot with the owner. We ordered a chicken gyro, which came out looking nothing like a chicken gyro! More like a small watered down burrito, it was so bland! Perhaps I just have a higher standard for gyros, because the first chicken gyro I ever had was in Greece and it was REALLY awesome...but this "gyro" was at the very bottom of that spectrum. Bottom line, the service was rude, the place feels dirty, the food is shabby...probably not going to be back here again, unless its 2am and they're the only place open. read more

Excellent gyros! From the bread to the sauce, vegetables, and meat - everything was outstanding. Owners are incredibly hospitable. A lovely family owned establishment. We will definitely be back on a weekly basis. read more

THIS PLACE IS AWESOME! I love lamb and have been eating it pretty much my whole life. The quality is great. Ignore the "bad" reviews. UC Berkeley students are pretty pathetic and just down right spoiled. They may think they're something, but in actuality they are kind of just the laughing stock of everyone in reality. So don't listen to their reviews and actually go and try the place. The owner is such a great guy and gives out some really good quality food. He's friendly and really makes you feel like priority. He is super helpful when picking out what to eat. Also, EVERYTHING is made there. He is always making his hot sauce or yogurt sauce, always making the meat, doing everything. Nothing is really "pre-made" or "pre-heated" he does it all on the spot. read more

Finally! I ate a gyro that actually tasted like lamb. The owner says her husband makes the [giant skewered beef/lamb chunk] fresh daily, whereas the competition (allegedly) buys theirs frozen from Sysco or wherever. Middle Eastern food slingers always exhibit extreme chauvinism towards their nationality. The owners of Greek restaurants will always tell you that only Greeks know how to make [fill in the blank]. Owners of Turkish restaurants will do the same. Same for Lebanese. And so on. I have long thought them all crazy, bickering over the homogenized culinary legacy of their millenia of warfare and associated mating. To me it seems the only difference in the food from middle eastern country to the next middle eastern country is the pronunciation. Digression over. I went to Cal Gyro and had the most distinctive gyro sandwich I've ever had. The service was friendly, and I got to gawk at all of their made-from-scratch wares in the display cooler while I waited for my sandwich to come. The baklava was disappointing. I've had better baklava, every time I've ever eaten baklava. Protip: avoid the hot sauce. I'm a fan of hot sauce, but it doesn't seem to go with falafel/gyro/whatever at all. Theirs is surprisingly atomic, and they squirt it on everything like it's tzatziki. Leave it on the side and enjoy the incredible flavor of their fresh ingredients. read more

I've been coming to this place for 3-4 months every 3-4 days a week only because the food here appears to be homemade and healthy. However, the owner who runs the place is irate and aggressive, his attitude every visit keeps changing. Never going back there again! Plus its way overpriced than some of the other places in the vicinity. read more

Very Delicious halal food and amazing owner! I would say it's a 10/10! I practically burned my mouth because I was eating so fast. Amazing place! read more

I got the lamb gyro plate. Around 10/11 bucks which is sort of expensive.... You're given a good amount of meat slices but they were way too salty and the salad even was bland. I had to buy a drink to wash down the saltiness. You're better off with another Mediterranean place down the street since there are a couple within the campus area read more

My go-to late night Mediterranean spot! The owner is extremely friendly and easy to talk to. Their wraps are delicious. read more

The place is in need of cleaning. I asked for a gyros sandwich and the gentleman says "do you want it on traditional pita bread?" and I said yes. The sandwich came wrapped as a large burrito on a tortilla. I asked him if he used the meat from the upright spit. He said, "No I used previously cut meat here." he shows me a warmer. "But don't worry it's good meat." Well, the meat was old and dry, looked like old pieces of bacon and tasted bad. I threw it out. But I paid $11.00 for it. Don't go there. The man was also rude to me and held a private conversation on a phone as I was ordering. Should've known better then. read more

First restaurant I ate dinner at when I moved to Berkeley and it remains one of my go-to spots! The owner is so kind and the food is always fresh and delicious. Sometimes it can take a minute, but it's worth it for the quality. I'm pescatarian, so I usually get the Mediterranean veggie wrap, which is a flavorful mixture of veggies, falafel, a few sauces, and cheese! Highly recommend checking this place out :) read more

After the bar closes....definitely come here.....the owner is a really nice guy....fast service..good tasting food...only negative is the $8 min purchase for ATM...I recommend the lamb/beef gyro..or the combo...be sure to get it mild or spicey.... read more

Cal Gyros Mediterranean - Great late night eats...... - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

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this place has been here for 17 years for a reason! it's my favorite place to get mediterranean food in berkeley and their hummus is my favorite i've ever had! the owner is the nicest and wonderful to chat with, today he gave me a really lovely bowl of seafood couscous that he had made for himself while we chatted. i always get a dish with the lamb and beef gyro. it's always tender and perfectly sliced, and you can really taste the quality of the lamb! get both the white and spicy sauce when he asks. i usually will get the lamb and beef plate since it comes with a healthy amount of pita, a nice greek salad, and that hummus i don't stop thinking about. their salads are generously portioned and the baklava is great too, give this place a try next time you're in the durant food court~ read more

The food is pretty awesome. The owner is a character... Recommend the combination Gyro. The $3.95 gyro is probably one of the best food deals in Berkeley, but I'd go big -- the $7 combo gyro is the best out there. Ask for the special zatziki... Check it out. One of the best restaurants in the Asian Ghetto -- right up there with Thai Basil! read more

You don't come to Durant Square expecting much, but I think I could have fared better than the unfriendly, salty food, and cash only experience. The owner couldn't even spare an extra napkin or a box to go for the chicken gyro I ordered. read more

I honestly use to love this place. I've been here for three years now and I feel like the quality has gotten worse. First of all the price is way too high for the amount of food, it's definitely one of the more pricey restaurants. Additionally, the owners refuse to give you extra sauce if you order to go. Which makes no sense?? They used to allow it but now when I purchased a gyro they absolutely refused saying they don't do that anymore. I only go here because I love the sauce and without it the gyro itself quite honestly isn't good. I should have told them I wanted my money back and returned the gyro. A small cup of extra sauce isn't even expensive. Way to cheap out on your loyal customers. Probably won't be back ever again. read more

Lamb & Beef gyro is the standard order here. Always comes out fresh and delicious, with a good mix of veggies as well as meat. I usually share, but when I'm really hungry I can eat most of this! Staff is consistently nice, never rude. Definite must try if you're a Cal student. read more

This spot reminded me of middle eastern walk up street vendor, it is located in a enclave of cheap, university student eateries.. so the only thing you might expect here is a cheap, filling meal with not too much effort put into it.. which is why I was surprised by my meal at Cal Gyro Med.. the food was full of delicious flavors and reminded me of the Turkish food I had in Istanbul, with more of an Arab influence. The owner was very friendly and made us feel right at home. We had two plates and shared. The Adana Kebab plate, which is a mix of what looks like ground lamb and beef, put on a skewer and grilled. The owner warned that it could take a bit longer to make because of the grilling time. However, the wait was well worth it. The meat was tender and flavorful, grilled to a Medium Well and served with rice, salad, hummus and pita.. The hummus was a little bland but the salad and kebab made up for it. The Chicken plate looked and tasted delicious. Bits of tender chicken on rice and again with the hummus, pita and salad. Both plates were filling but also tasty and inexpensive.. A great lil find in my book! read more

Best gyro in town. Had the chicken gyro wrapped, fresh, flavorful, and fast service. The sauces that goes with the wraps makes it even more delicious! Finished my meal with a baklava dessert, honey syrup and pistachio pastry! Friendly owner, well deserved for another visit. read more

Very friendly staff and their gyros are filling. I recommend their Lamb & Beef and Chicken Gyro. Really good price for something so filling. I can never finish one on the spot, though. Good thing is you're able to wrap it up again and save it for later. They add a bunch of veggies, too. It seems very healthy. read more

I really like this place, been there twice. The first time I really wanted to try the Kofte Sandwich but because it was getting close to closing and the sandwich takes around 15 minutes to make the owner suggested the combination gyro, which was pretty good. When I went back to get the Kofte Sandwich at another time, he seemed a little put off about having to make it. He was obviously not happy that he had to spend so much time making this one thing. Fortunately there was another person working in there at the time so I wasn't monopolizing the place and he was still making other things. When I finally got it, I was so excited. I wanted to tell the guy that I know he didn't really like having to make the sandwich but I really appreciate that he did, because it made my night. It wasn't the best kofte i had ever tasted but it was so great to find a place that had it here in Berkeley. Overall, the food is pretty good, I have actually yet to find an outstanding Mediterranean place, and the price is pretty good too. For the Durant Ghetto it is pretty good. read more

This was a very very average, or maybe below average dining experience. First of all, they only take cash, which is pretty annoying (a lot of places in Asian Ghetto don't take credit card). Second, the place does not have that much seating, so you have to go outside and eat at the stone tables that are not exactly the most sanitary. The most important thing is that the food isn't that great. I ordered 2 menu items last time - the lamb gyro and the eggplant salad. The lamb gyro was very average - and I definitely paid $8 for it. The meat was a little bit dry, the seasoning of it wasn't all too impressive and honestly, they didn't put enough of it in the wrap. The vegetables were dressed in a heavy, white yogurt sauce. The wrap itself wasn't that great either - especially when it got cold. It actually started tasting a little bit stale and unappetizing. The eggplant salad is actually alright. Just a little bit on the greasy side, but I felt like I needed some vegetable in my meal than the supplementary ones in the wrap. If you want to eat Greek food, I would opt for different options around. D'Yar has much better food, in my opinion, the wait is about the same and there is much more seating there. read more

So yummy and the owner is so kind and makes you feel like family! Highly recommend, especially if you want to support mom & pop shops!

Came to this place just for a gyro and instead got a BURRITO!!! Total BS! Lamb meat could taste better... Service took so long and the employee wasn't masked properly. Waste of money!!! read more

My buddies are regulars here and brought me here to meet the owner and grab a gyro. He's pretty funny and throws down a good combo gyro, especially late night. I think I'll skip the spicy sauce the next time, but the yogurt drink cooled my tongue. Cal Gyros is a another good late-night option, when I want something other than the usual, fast food. read more

The lamb gyro was good, a bit on the pricey side though. Somewhat salty but I'm not too familiar with Greek so I'm not sure if that's normal. It had some delicious sauce and fresh veggies: tomato, cucumbers, onions and lettuce. The other time I was here, I got the lamb plate. I don't recommend that. The meat was too rough, I couldn't chew it. I think I'll stick to DYAR instead for that plate. All the times I've been there, no one else is there so its good because the service is faster. read more

I love the shawarma wraps here. I always come here late night with friends, they're open till 3am! Come here to get your quick fix of middle eastern food. The owner is a nice man also. I suggest the wraps for your late night cravings read more

Good food, have ordered gyro wraps on numerous occasions and never been disappointed. Guy who works at the front also always a chill conversation read more

I got the beef and lamb gyro. I'm surprised that it was very flavorful and actually a little spicy. The meat I think is a little over salted, but it's not bad. The food is also wrapped so once side was the veges and one side was the meat, but I think it's better eating both so it's less overwhelming. read more

Cute little family owned place. They are nice, take their time making your order and make sure to ask how spicy you'd like it. If you ask for mild however, it will have next to no flavor. (Sorry guys, you're so sweet it hurts, but I have to be honest). The lamb and beef gyro is dry dry dry, but tastes clean.Too expensive for something of average flavor. The baklava is drenched in honey, has no nuts and is just layer upon layer of floury tasting phyllo dough. The dolmas (grape leaves) are pretty good compared to others. Overall, I'm giving Cal Gyro stars bc I did not get sick, and they were friendly. read more

Good service. Good vibe. Good food. The owner is super friendly and he told us that he actually painted the murals In the restaurant himself. The talent. The food was great. Ordered the chicken plate at midnight and it tasted like actual Mediterranean food. Not overly salty like many chain restaurants are nowadays. The hummus was spectacular and the chicken and rice were perfection. The quality is unbeatable. read more

Cal Gyros Mediterranean - Chicken plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

$14.66 for a decent gyro wrap and a bottle of mango lassi. Not the best gyro I've ever had, for that much it should be.

Delicious gyros at this location, the combo platter is also very tasty! Give this place a try.

Had D'yar yesterday so I wanted to try Cal Gyros today to compare the two places. Ordered the lamb and beef gyro plate, and it was delicious. Whereas my food from D'yar was just super salty, the meat I got from Cal Gyros was flavorful and tender. I like their pita better too - it's a tad thinner and less floury. However, D'yar's fries were really good, and it was cheaper. I paid $8 for D'yar and $12 for this, the portions were about the same, only difference was fries from D'yar and rice from here. read more

I love this place! Friendly and welcoming as soon as i walk in. I always eat combo gyro wrap!

The owner is so nice and serves up some of the best burritos/wraps I've had in berkeley. Ask for the spicy lamb gyro with both red and white sauce. You will not be disappointed. They have other assortments of chicken and beef plates/wraps and desserts such as baklava or ice cream bars. I definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for quality late night food or even a nice lunch. read more

Cal Gyros Mediterranean - Lamb gyro wrap - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fresh and cheap food! The mediterranean plate is perfect mix of fresh vegetables, feta, good bread and falafals for a light lunch ;) EDIT: I came last monday, food was very bad and not fresh... maybe a bad day? read more

Cal Gyros will get your tummy full quick. A necessity for all college students, especially during finals. Food: I've been eating at this place for a few years now and gotta go with the Lamb and Beef Gyro Wraps (spicy) for only 6 bucks! They make your food faster than fast food, but it's still fresh cause the lamb and beef are slow cooking all day. Service & Environment: It's a pretty small joint with only a few tables if your trying to eat inside. Big plus is the service though, they always make sure to get your order right and hand you your meal with a smile. All in all Cal Gyros is awesomely great place to go for a quick bite to eat. If only they started selling Sandwich Grec, than I'd be going there everyday. read more

READ THIS WHOLE REVIEW...DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON BAD FOOD AND EVEN WORSE TREATMENT! This place gets one star for a combination of TERRIBLE service and even worse looking (I never got around to actually tasting it) food. My boyfriend and I went here and ordered a beef and lamb gyro. The owner's wife said to us "we don't serve student specials after five'. We paid no mind to this cryptic comment because, after all, we weren't ordering a student special, we were just ordering a gyro...which is their specialty food. We place out order and then we wait....it took her a good 15-20 minutes to give us our food (1 gyro) even though we were the only costumers present when we placed our order. While in the process of preparing our order three other customers walked in, upon which time she stopped preparing our food and took their order, prepared their food and served them...ALL THREE OF THEM... meanwhile we're still waiting for our one gyro. Hence the first problem with the customer service. Next, she overcharges one customer for his meal by about $1.70 (that's kinda of a lot when the most expensive thing on the menu is around $10)... when he points out the he's been overcharged she, with a slight attitude, looks at the receipt, notices her error and says the real price but doesn't apologize for her error, nor does she offer him a refund. The guy sits their confusedly waiting for a remedy...at which point she exasperatedly says under her breath "the next time you come back you can get a drink," and then she moves on helping the other customers. The guy, obviously not satisfied with the remedy but not sure how to proceed with this strange an unpleasant creature fumbles for words and eventually she repeats herself to him clearly annoyed with his concern over the mis-charge. He then says, "but how are you going to know that I get a free drink" and she says "I'll tell my husband." At this point the guy is embarrassed and fed up so he just kinda shot me a confused look and left shaking his head. It was then our chance up to bat. We get our food and pay $9 and some change for a gyro and two cans of soda. I sit down to unwrap the meal and the first thing I notice is that the gyro is very thin and light. It looked like a hotdog wrapped in foil. This was the first sign something was wrong...we then open the packaging to reveal a very small amount of gyro meat wrapped in a very thin tortilla-like shell. NOT PITA BREAD...BUT A THINNER VERSION OF A TORTILLA SHELL!!! Everyone knows that gyros come on pita bread!!! I went up to the counter and told her that we were served the wrong thing...we'd ordered a gyro but we were served a wrap with gryro meat...and she said "we don't serve pita bread after 5pm!" That's insanity! So I responded, " what do you mean you don't serve pita bread after five...GYROS COME ON PITA BREAD!" (I didn't yell) And she very rudely responded "I told you we don't serve student specials after 5pm" But how was I supposed to know that that meant that you don't serve actual gyros after 5pm at a gyro shop! So I said "okAY, I just want my money back" to which she replied "No you can't have you money". At this point her husband walks and asks what's going on and my boyfriend tries to explain the situation to him since he is the owner...and she says "It doesn't matter if you explain it to him, I'm the wife it's what I say." My boyfriend and I were amazed. The poor guy gave us our money back but the entire time he was trying to do so he was being scolded by his wife. After we received our cash we were told,by the wife, to never return to the store again. We let her know that we never would want to come back....and we left with our money and feeling bad for her poor husband. read more

Sitting with my meal writing this review.. Wow, i really miss the guys that ran this place back in 2000-2002.. I've been coming back every so often and each time it's a new owner, new menu, higher prices and less amount of food.. Today is the first time i couldn't get what i've always ordered, a simple chicken plate (grilled chicken over rice topped w white sauce and sprinkles of something with a large* side of hummus and salad).. Today the only option is gyro or chicken kabob (over taxed=$12).. She handed me the sauce to top myself, no sprinkles :-(.. the flavor is still good but i think its time to let go of my dear memories and find a more consistent restaurant! Let the new Mediterranean chicken plate search begin! read more