Good hidden spot for a casual lunch. I went at a random time on a weekday afternoon so it was pretty empty but parking was still difficult to come by. For being located in an alley, the ambiance was still quite nice with lots of succulents around. It's a very casual restaurant where the seating is all outside in the alley. You order your food from a window and they give you a beeper that goes off when your food is ready. I did note that there aren't that many tables so it doesn't seem great for larger groups. Even though the restaurant was near empty they said my burger would take 15 minutes so I'd suggest ordering ahead online if you don't want to wait. I just got the Cali Alley burger so I can't say much about the other food but I enjoyed eating it, and the burger patty is fat enough that you can request how you like your burger to be cooked. I asked for a rare/medium rare and they nailed it. The fries were also cooked well; they had a nice crisp on the outside while still being tender on the inside. My two complaints about the food is that I had to pay an extra $2 for cheese on my burger, which I didn't realize because the photo of the Cali Alley burger they show on their website has cheese on it. The second complaint is that they serve pickles with their burgers but don't state it anywhere! Which I definitely think they should warn customers because pickle juice can ruin a burger for us pickle haters. read more

Cali Alley - The Cali Alley Burger with no lettuce (rare/medium rare requested) - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Cali Alley is a sister operation to an ongoing catering operation. a few tables outside for dining. not much street parking in the area. offerings: burgers, bbq, bowls, eats: "St. Louis BBQ" (18)' -"dry rubbed with special mix, slow roasted, served with chocolate BBQ sauce". -mac & cheese slighty runny, had nice texture & flavor, salad just crunchy. -Ribs had a nice char, inside meats tender, moist, minimalist flavoring sauce added a nice sweetness to naturalist meats *big bones on the inside. 3.5 stars wouldn't repeat BBQ, a burger maybe read more

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A nice little surprise. A small little spot with a cool vibe but only outdoor seating. A pretty large menu some pretty tempting items. I went for the loco moco and it was..ok. I really like the mushrooms but the beef patty could've had a bit more flavor/salt. My cousin had the bao buns which I should've tried. This all to say, the menu had so much I wanted to try that I'd probably come back. Eat well or die trying. -ant read more

Cali Alley - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

I order from Cali Alley alot when I want that good good comfort food and they never disappoint. I have never been inside the restaurant, only delivery. Everything I have ever ordered from them arrives hot, delicious, perfect portion size and from a friendly delivery person. Today I got the Loco Moco and WOW was it good. So good I had to call the store and thank them "in person". The sunny side up egg was cooked to perfection. My burger was ordered medium and THANK GOODNESS for a chef who understands what that means. It was perfectly pink where it should be and browned around the edges. The kale and gravy that the loco moco sat on top of was so flavourful. I can tell that love went into this meal. The veggie rice was the perfect thing to soak up all that goodness, and perfectly seasoned. I will always frequent Cali Alley but the Loco Moco is going on the list of meals to order again. read more

Cali Alley - Loco Moco. - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

The food choices, presentation and taste were all amazing. And the decor is breathtaking - greenery galore! Just gorgeous! The service was fast and friendly. Try Cali Alley. You will not be disappointed. read more

This has been on my "To Eat" list for almost 2 years, I told myself now or never! Parking here is scarce and difficult to be prepared to finesse and figure it out. I could have ordered online, but I decided to order in person so I knew what they actually had on the menu. Ordering was simple and easy, there isn't an "inside" because it's an ordering window set up and they have a few tables for outdoor seating. They also have cornhole games to enjoy as you wait for your food. I ordered the Cali Alley burger with a side of fries, the fried chicken plate and a mint limeade. After ordering I realized I should have order the Loco Moco burger, there's always next time. That mint limeade was delish and refreshing (I wonder if it's homemade?). I switched my fries with my moms sides because she preferred fries. The mac & cheese and berms were alright, nothing to crazy about them. I enjoyed my burger, it was juicy and flavorful. Definitely a quality meal. If your able to "dine-in" I would recommend you do. It's a cute place to have a nice lunch, with a backyard vibe. If I'm able to come back I'll get either the Loco Moco burger or the ribs (I know that meat falls off the bone!) read more

Cali Alley - The Cali Alley Burger, Mac n' Cheese, black beans and mint limeade - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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On a whim the family and decide to get some take out and this place for my husbands dream of a big burger, mine of a decked out salad and our sons of a kids meal with Mac and cheese. I was highly skeptical as comfort food places have burnt me many times before. We were astonished to find everything we ordered was expertly cooked and absolutely delicious. The chef today clearly knew what he was doing. We didn't visit the restaurant but I will be in the future. Might be one of our new favorite spots. I might have to stay away from the fries though as they were addictive, yum! read more

Cali Alley - Grilled Brisket Burger Salad Bowl - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

Such a great spot! Really enjoy the food and always enjoy interacting with their staff

Great variety of dishes to choose from! You got some Asian style rice bowls, Hawaiian-based Loco Moco, and Southern mac n' cheese. I'm really here to speak on the mac because, oh my word, it was amazing! On point in terms of creamy and cheesy! This is primarily a small outdoor location so I noticed many patrons pick up their food to go. read more

Cali Alley - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

This restaurant is literally a window in an alley. It started during the Covid shutdown and was a great gift at the time when very few places were offering much. Now there are tables with strung lights outside. I've only ever gotten the burgers and only to go. The burgers are absolutely amazing!! They carefully pick what meats are ground together, and everything else, including sauces and fries, are equally epic. Outstanding quality and flavor. Possibly the best burgers I've ever had. I order online, then drive 15 minutes to pick them up. They're always ready before I get there. I've never had to wait. The small staff is cheerful and never seems to forget anything. Highly, highly recommended! read more

They made a wonderful Thanksgiving "complete" meal for our family that was amazing!!!! And we picked it up at a designated time so it was totally ready to eat right then! Highly recommend!!!! Really well done. read more

Their loss is my gain. I ordered a burger and mac and cheese and someone goofed. I ended up with two burgers I didn't order including the chicken sandwich. The wasn't sure what happened but I hope whoever got my order had the same pleasant surprise. The burgers and chicken sando are spot on in taste, preparation and presentation. Definitely high level burgers and flavor profiles. Will be back to try my original order and more! read more

Finally went back for that burger and I have been converted! BEST BURGER IN THE EAST BAY! Creative toppings, hot & juicy, a very generous side of crispy fries. No joke, best fries in the bay. They even made the drive home crispy and hot. Super filling. Super generous huge portions. Customer service is still A+. I will be back!!!! read more

Cali Alley - Mac and cheese Family Size Buttermilk Fried Chicken Meal - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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What a hidden gem! Tucked into an inconspicuous spot down the block from Teance (where btw they will allow you to bring food from here to have with your tea) with outdoor seating only serving sandos, burgers, rice bowls and flavor! (And Double Rainbow ice cream!) My fellow gluten intolerants, you know that moment when you're eating something and you're like, "Wait! This is too good to be gluten free" and you go back to check with the kitchen! Yeah, you do. That happened to me here! Because they have DELICIOUS gluten free hamburger buns! Fluffy, soft, does not fall apart when it gets juicy from the perfectly cooked burger that is actually cooked medium! They only have one menu item labeled gluten free but I think you can ask for sauces and such to be left off to make items gluten free. I had the Ban Mí pork belly burger minus the glaze and it was yum! Even the side salad was super good! As were the fries which had a lovely spice blend. Their staff was super nice, they played good music, and it was chill vibes all around. read more

I didn't know this place existed until my coworkers suggested walking from work to try it out. Such a cute hidden spot. I love how simple the menu is. For me, that means all the dishes are probably tasty which was definitely true from what I have experienced so far. I ordered the Cali Alley Burger with Mixed Greens on the side. Got the burger medium done. It hit the spot! Probably one of the tastiest burgers I have had. I really liked the meat patty and the brioche bun was yummy. The mixed greens had cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, and balsamic vinaigrette. I really appreciate it when restaurants put the dressing on the side so you can add however much you want. I barely added any and it was perfect the way it was. My coworkers ordered the Bao Buns with grilled tofu and braised pork belly, which also came with veggie fried rice. Another coworker got the tofu rice bowl and added grilled prawns. They all loved their dishes. Only complaint was that there was too much rice. But the flavor and quality was great! Definitely will be coming back again to try their other menu items. Also, now that I know that they are on door dash, I might order and get it delivered to work! They do have outdoor seating but probably not good for large groups. They have about 5-6 tables which sits about 2-4 people each. If you do end up sitting at the high tables, the stools are a bit shorter so it's a bit harder to eat your food. Check out this place if you're ever in the area! read more

Cali Alley - Bao Buns. 2 with grilled tofu and 3 with braised pork belly. Comes with veggie fried rice. - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The wife found this burger joint and wow what Burger it was. The burger was huge and so tasty with quality meats. We also tried the chicken burger and it was also delicious. The fries are a generous amount with a special seasoning that make them extra good. Warm heater made the dining experience fabulous. You must come and try Cali Alley! read more

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Omg! The Tri Tip sandwich with fries is amazing! I'm from Texas and this is the bet smoked meat I've had out here. Sandwiches are huge! Adorable pop up type restaurant in an alley with outdoor seating. I ordered at noon time for 6 pm pickup and it was ready when I arrived at 6pm. I'll definitely he back! read more

Dear lord this was the best burger I have ever eaten. I got the brunch burger. This shit was so good I forgot where I parked my car. It's a counter service place and my food came out pretty quick. It's all outdoor seating but they have good shade so it wasn't too hot. I am so full. Praise god read more

Cali Alley - The Brunch Burger - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

10/10 Food And 101/10 People Highly recommend if you're looking for a nice and clean but flavorful burger read more

Cali Alley - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The food was really good. Ordered a smoked tri-tip sandwich with a side salad. The brioche bun was filled with a generous amount of tender tri-tip and smothered in slaw. A portion of bbq sauce was served on the side along with a salad of greens, tomatoes and fresh corn. So good! You order at the window, pick up your order when your buzzer rings, and self bus your table. Tables are all outside with music playing. This place is a hidden gem. read more

Cali Alley - Menu board at entrance - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Great food & service. Seating outside and music with it Would definitely try more items next time read more

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Super fresh and delicious local spot. Salads are crisp, fresh and perfectly dressed. Prawns were well seasoned. The banh mi burger was ridiculous with smoked brisket, pork belly, picked greens -- more banh mi than banh mi. The fries and mint limeade were also top notch. Can't wait to try more. read more

Best fries ever!!! The rest of the food was great too. It's a really small place- literally in a well landscaped little alleyway with only a few outside tables, but it's all scrumptious. Such a great spot!! read more

Really impressed by their variety! Cali Alley serves burgers, ribs, rice bowls, ribs, mac n cheese, and my favorite, bao buns! Oh, and they have some vegetarian options like the grilled tofu rice bowl. I would go back for their Alley bao buns. My husband and I shared a plate, and it was a perfect amount for the two of us. I loved the combination of flavors and textures. The pork was tender and flavorful, the bao buns soft and fluffy, and the veggies were a nice addition. We loved the sauce and flavored rice that came with it. We went back a second time and had the grilled prawn rice bowl. While it was tasty, we could not help but think that it was not worth the price ($18) for mostly rice and four prawns. We found the location super cute and quiet. They have three tables outside surrounded by well cared plants. Service is also always incredibly friendly! read more

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Yes! Yaaas! Yum!!! Tucked into a little driveway, sits one of Berkeley's hidden gems. Originally a catering business, Mr. Dov pivoted and made a pick-up spot because let's face it, people need good food and good people in bad times. Yo! No joke! That barbacoa beef plate with the plantain! Sheesh! Fire as my students would say or write in their papers. Chill, we can fight over writing conventions later on another platform. I'm settling beef now. There's so much flavor in this dish with that tender barbacoa and the plantain on top of the beans for a little flavor dance on the tongue. Not to mention Mr. Dov and Ms. Jenn were the friendliest people! I was singing "It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood" when giving my order. Funny, with the mask on, you can feel their good energy. Tip: if the cooks are friendly and genuinely excited when describing their food, then you know the food will be bomb!!! Cali Alley! I'm coming back for that chicken sandwich!!! read more

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We had chicken and waffles, short ribs, Cali burgers, side of Mac n cheese and Parmesan garlic fries. Love that this place pivoted during the pandemic. I can only imagine how good their catering tastes. You can tell that they make their food with unique and fresh ingredients considering every taste and pairings. I'll be back for waffles, Mac n cheese and chicken and eat it there so it's super fresh. read more

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The food was so good and so fresh. Also had the mint lemonade wow! All of it was perfect! read more

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When I try a new place I usually like to go with their main dish, which looked like the burger and fries. The toppings and sauce were amazing. The burger was great, but I think it was a little too charred on the outside for my liking. The rest of the menu looks so good and has options for several diets. When I'm not cheating on my diet like tonight, I typically do keto, and I am very appreciative they have a lettuce bun option! Aside from the food itself, I was reading their bio, and this restaurant opened in April of 2020, and they are still going! I can see why after buying the food. Bless y'all opening in the midst of a pandemic. read more

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I would describe this place as multiple nation comfort food and the restaurant is really a side business of a catering outfit as best as I can tell. All that said, jesus is the food good. Somebody actually knows how to cook and probably went to culinary school. read more

Cali Alley is so yummy and at a such a great value, I ordered the Berkeley Restaurant Week $50 barbacoa family dinner 2X in 3 days on 9/28/20 AND 9/30/20! I wish you lasting success Cali Alley! I feel really grateful that Cali Alley is so close to home and that I am able to intentionally choose to do take out and support ethical local small businesses, especially Black owned and run businesses during this terrible pandemic. Everything was good on their own, but mixed up together, it was delicious! Everything complements each other so well! The staff is super nice and they were really thoughtful in including pieces of fruit from the compote in my 2nd order of cheesecakes. I didn't even ask them to. I just commented that I thought that it would have come with fruit the 1st time. That was really sweet of them. Support Black owned and run businesses if you can and PLEASE TIP, these are good folks! We want them to thrive in our communities! Give them a try, you won't be sorry! *take a look at my pics for the epic spread! read more

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We were so excited to try this place. Ordered a few chicken sandos, a chicken plate and some garlic fries. Ordered togo and it took a very long time. Waiting for good food is no problem but the food came out not particularly hot and a little under whelming. The chicken was pretty bland and just nothing special at all. I kind of want to try them again since others seem to love it but not sure if we will. read more

So I have ate at this place a few time love there fries sauces. This last time I order the fried chicken with the black beans and Mac and cheese. The chicken wasn't as good as it has been in the past and the beans are bland the Mac and cheese is good. I'm not a fan of there burgers but will try other items on the menu. read more

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I found out about a friend that Berkeley Restaurant Week is going on, so I decided to give them a try for the BRW $20 special. They unfortunately didn't have a lot of vegetarian options, so I picked the alley bao buns with five spice tofu, and asked for agua fresca instead of sangria. Thankfully they were still taking new orders around 6pm (they close at 7) and said it would be ready in half an hour. I was late getting there due to missing a bus so I assume it was prepared in the estimated time. The drink came in a typical plastic cup but with a paper straw, which I assume is recyclable. However, they didn't provide a bag for the food - just handed me the paper takeout box, aluminum tin with the cheesecake in it, and cup - which is probably less environmentally wasteful but may prove a challenge if you are walking/busing home and didn't bring a good bag to carry it (ended up with water on my shirt from the agua fresca cup). The food: I am not a fan of cole slaw, and I think it would've been better without that even if it was intended to make the flavor more interesting or balanced. However, the tofu was deliciously savory. The fried rice was soft and somewhat mushy by the time I got to eat it and it is weak in flavor, unfortunately; I would've liked a bigger, crunchier, and more spiced up portion of rice. This main dish did come with a pineapple slice, and a cup of teriyaki sauce, presumably so you can dip your bao into it if desired. They only offered one flavor of agua fresca which was watermelon, and it tasted watery compared to most agua fresca that I've had, although this may be a reflection of it being made with actual watermelons rather than strong artificial flavoring. The cheesecake, however, was terrific - I love cheesecake in general but this one was definitely sweet given the blueberry sauce topping, while also having that dairy, slightly sour kick that I like in cheesecake, and a graham cracker crumbed bottom. I only wish the cheesecake was bigger than the little circular tin, I would have gladly eaten more of it. read more

Cali Alley - Alley bao buns with tofu, blueberry cheesecake, and agua fresca (partially drank). - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

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All outdoor eatery featuring delicious, hefty serving food and drinks! Pork belly was solid. Good service and love the ambience with the market/fairy lights outside. It was Halloween when we went, so there were extra decorations, too. read more

Solid brunch option with some delicious meals. It's a little spot and they only seem to have outdoor seating.

They messed up my order. I ordered 2 meals, 1 of which was the tri tip sandwich and paid extra to upgrade the fries to garlic truffle fries. They gave me regular fries and the sandwich was cold. And I got there early and was waiting on the order, so it wasn't an issue of the food getting cold before I picked it up. UPDATE: Management contacted me and made things right. It is very refreshing to have people who care about their customers and want their customers to have a good experience. read more

WAAAAAY too salty. Okay. It's been a few years since my last review. Went back today for a burger. Just like 2 years ago, the meat was salted nearly to the point of being inedible. This is clearly intentional; a feature, not a bug. As I said in my first review, I'm not at all salt-sensitive and have no problem adding salt to food in restaurants if I feel it lacking. But this is salt with a side of burger. Maybe the chef lacks salt receptors, dunno. I really want to like this place and they obviously are trying to produce quality. But they're just shooting themselves in the foot. I won't be back again. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to get takeout from Cali Alley after cooking lunch and dinner ourselves the entire week. Cali Alley gives out free Sangria on Sundays, which was actually what made me commit to getting dinner here. I ordered through the phone, and my food was ready for pick up within 20 minutes. The store's cute and dainty, with an outdoor seating area, and the employees there were really nice. I ordered a Pastralley Burger and a Mac n Cheese. After transporting the food home, the fries that came with my burger might've gotten soggy since I didn't eat it fresh, but I quickly reheated them in an airfryer and they were well seasoned and delicious. My Pastralley burger was also amazing! This burger was the smokiest burger I've ever tasted in my entire life- the grill master really did a phenomenal job. Will definitely come back to Cali Alley just to get a taste of that smoky burger. The mac n cheese was good too, but there wasn't anything special that stood out for the mac n cheese (but I'm a sucker for mac n cheese so I'll probably reorder it anyways if I were to come back to Cali Alley). Overall, I had a really great experience at Cali Alley, and I'll definitely come back again soon to have another taste of that delicious burger. read more

The fried chicken plate was delicious, it was the best thing I've ever ordered here. BUT I have to give just 3 stars, because the portion size was pretty tiny for the $18 price. I think my photo is actually deceiving because trust me it was way too little food for $18. The chicken portion was enough, it had 3 decent sized pieces of chicken. But the sides of Mac and cheese and beans were kids meal sized!! Like the size of a apple sauce cup! Plus the other dishes I've ordered like the burgers or the pork plate are way more generous for the same price so what gives? And my brother ordered a side order of Mac and cheese and the literal side order was twice as big as the Mac and cheese portion of my meal. I recommend Cali Alley, I just wish they kept the portions of their dishes in line with the prices. read more

Cali Alley - Buttermilk Fried Chicken Plate - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California

Cali Alley impresses - the impeccable food, tidy presentation and packaging, and over-the-top consideration for strict hygiene amid this pandemic all exceeded my expectations. I went here with a charitable mindset, consciously supporting a local business in challenging times, which feels important and righteous. After the first bite of my Beyond Burger I realized in fact it was them doing me the favor by giving me the pleasure of eating their wonderfully delicious food. Our family ordered the aforementioned Beyond Burger, a large side of fries (best choice ever!) and a large side of mac n' cheese. On menu the Beyond Burger reads like it was created by Willy Wonka if he dreamed of running a burger shack instead of a candy factory - it's a madcap combination of delectable elements thrown together in what might be a hot mess in lesser hands, but here is a master course in inspired synergy; the meatless patty, melted swiss cheese, fried shallots, grilled onions, crisp lettuce, thousand island aioli, avocado and even the peperoncini's all stacked within a toasted brioche bun come together with mouthwatering layers of rich flavor. It's the food equivalent of a perfect rainbow but with 14 colors instead of the usual seven. The burger is accompanied by a crispy pickle spear and what should be in the conversation for the world's best fries. Oh those fries....We didn't eat them until an hour-plus after they were made and they still raised pleasantly surprised eyebrows. (To imagine them fresh from the fryer is a dangerous thought causing my heart to skip a few arrhythmic beats.) Our six-year-old and his just seven-year-old cousin dove right in to our extra order with glee and gusto as they took turns spontaneously exclaiming "These fries are delicious! Where did you get these fries?!" True story. My sister tried them and said they were so good they didn't even need ketchup. Lastly, Kathy's mac n' cheese is an excellent and deceptively un-fancy riff on the classic. Looks like mac n' cheese, smells like mac n' cheese, tastes like...really good mac n' cheese. I loved it. It's hedonistic and deeply satisfying. For $10 we received a hefty little trough of dense cheesy heaven that has served extended duty over the week filling in random meals for our boy when we don't feel up to cooking. I will be ordering it over and over again. A place this good deserves to thrive. I'm so happy I tried it and I'd recommend it to anyone. Plus it made my conscience feel warm and fuzzy supporting a small family business. Being socially conscious never tasted so good. read more

Cali Alley - Beyond Burger, w/ fries and pickle - Comfort Food Near Me - Berkeley, California