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Very excited to finally got a reservation at the downstairs restaurant. We went for my sister's birthday. It was a set dinner for $135 per person. The wine pairing is also available for $85. The food is very good and fresh, the service was also impeccable. The kitchen is an open kitchen. I looked at the food prep while walking to the restroom. There was a lot of food that we didn't get to eat, they were for the upstairs cafe. So it looks like the cafe is a good place to try without being limited to the set menu. Parking is street meters. I also learned there is no handicap access to the upstairs cafe, but you can call and they can set up a table downstairs with the cafe food if you cannot get upstairs. Sounds very considerate.
This review is for Cafe Panisse: 4.5/5 All the dishes we ordered here were really great and we're glad to have this cafe available as a more casual alternative to downstairs. The pasta was delicious, all the fish and meat were cooked perfectly, and the desserts were satisfying. The prices were expensive though and there were no standout dishes in my opinion. We made a reservation for 7 for Friday lunch. 2 of us had to cancel last minute, but the staff were really nice about it and we didn't have to pay the $50 cancellation fee, which I really appreciated. The restaurant was beautiful and comfortable. Service was super friendly.
We celebrated our 4-year anniversary at Chez Panisse, and it was an unforgettable experience. Every course was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. The flavors throughout the meal were incredibly well balanced, and each dish felt intentional. The standout for me was the lamb. I don't typically enjoy lamb because I find it can have a strong gamey flavor, but this was, without a doubt, some of the best I've ever had. It was perfectly cooked, and every element on the plate went together beautifully. Since it's a coursed dinner, the meal does take time, but that's part of the experience. It never felt rushed, and it was well worth it. We left already looking forward to coming back.
Watch the Netflix video (link below) to fully understand the significance of this, the birthplace of farm-to-table dining and result of decades of stubborn dedication. No wonder every mouthful is perfectly fresh and delicious; beautifully plated by dedicated staff. The Masumoto peaches, when in season, are absolutely perfect and unadorned simplicity. The architecture is delightfully art deco, with pleasant light fixtures and windows. The roasted endive with white bean purée and toasted sage was incredible. The pork loin with red flint polenta was tender and subtly aromatic. The non-alcohol fermented rhododendron tea was exceptional and paired well with savory dishes. https://www.netflix.com/us/title/81712001 (4th episode in series)
It was my wife's birthday so I invited a couple of her besties and we all went to celebrate with all and had an absolutely incredible meal. It's reputation proceeded so I knew everything would taste on point. We all got seated. The restaurant was very busy. The staff was extremely helpful and accommodating. it was very busy. We didn't go on the weekend, but I have a feeling that they are booked all the time. The plates came out with all their different flavors and wonderments, and we all just sat and enjoyed slowly each bite and tried to taste all the subtle qualities of it. It was sort of a fun game and adventure and a wonderful place. I completely and highly recommend this restaurant. It's no wonder that Michelin loves coming in here and talking about how the standard stays high but changes only in new flavor. Thanks
A gem! Food: 10/10. Each dish was fresh and tasty. The dessert deserves a special shout out, probably top 3 desserts I've had Service: 10/10. Staff was friendly and quick. Each course was well timed and did not feel rushed Ambiance: cute, warm charm. Cozy vibes
Extremely delicious. I had credit to use if I booked a reservation on resy. I checked and saw a lunch time available at Cafe Panisse on a Thursday. It was lovely and surprisingly very full. I was a little late but the staff was extremely kind and accommodating. The food is very fresh. The produce looks amazing and everything was really wonderful. I will say, even their espresso was delicious. I would love to come here again.
I wanted to love Café Chez Panisse and my expectations were high. I had dined at the downstairs restaurant, but had never been to the café. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the servers were very friendly and attentive. I had the pasta with pesto and olives. It was good, however, the pesto did not have very much flavor and the pasta was a little too firm. The olives did brighten the dish quite a bit. I was famished, but was only able to finish half. My guest had the duck with squash purée and some greens. The duck was perfectly cooked in little medallions and the squash purée and greens were very flavorful and quite lovely. We both had salads which were fresh, but nothing special. For dessert we had the dates with mandarins and the upside down cake with a large dollop of crema. The upside down cake was dense and fell a bit flat with flavor. The dates with Mandarin orange wedges were lackluster. I believe there were four dates total, which actually were exceptional-and an equivalent to two mandarin oranges, sliced into wedges and placed into a golden compote. The mandarins were sweet and tart, but we were hoping they were going to be something special. As far as the 17% service charge (which is in addition to the tip).. perhaps pay the staff a higher wage rather than making your customers confused and question the charge. It potentially leaves patrons with a bad taste as their last impression of the restaurant. Again, the ambience was very warm and inviting, and the staff provided fantastic service, but some of the food did not meet expectations. Will be back to give them another try.
Café review: 4.25: Farm to table indeed - some of the freshest food I've had, and more approachable despite its reputation in the culinary world. Went to Chez Panisse on a Saturday evening, snagging one of the last reservations. I've always been a huge fan of their approach to food and the way they source ingredients. Their Café is both cozy and upscale, almost reminded me of a French restaurant x izakaya. On the cusp of spring, the menu was a nod to the last of winter (citrus, fennel) but the first of spring veggies and flavors (asparagus, mint, pea). For a party of two, we ordered: * Cauliflower and beets with Romesco Sauce (7.5/10) - I loved the freshness of all the vegetables and the lightness of the romesco. I was just looking for a tad more seasoning. * Roasted fennel, caper, and fried rosemary pizza (8.5/10): Absolutely loved how crispy and airy the crust was, and despite no sauce, the pizza was light and filled with flavor. The fennel itself was mild, but the capers added some salt, and the fried rosemary stole the show without upstaging the other ingredients. Ate a bit dry but very yummy. * Ricotta and Green Garlic Ravioli (9.5/10): as our waiter said, spring in a bowl. The pasta quality was immaculate - perfectly thin and light, surrounding creamy ricotta. The filling was so bright with lemon, and the asparagus was cooked perfectly al dente. I didn't taste as much mint/pea, and my only critique was that that filling was piped in such a small space that getting the right bite of pasta ratio to filling was a challenge. * Chocolate Custard with Chantilly cream (8/10): the chocolate custard was creamy and to me felt perfectly in the middle of dark and milk chocolate. The chantilly cream raised the flavor and lightness another level! Overall the food couldn't have better honored its vegetables and really let them sing; my only note was a pinch more of salt or boost of flavor in every dish (I was grateful for the mini sea salt and pepper grinder at each table). Service was nicely paced, with one main waiter but a number of folks rotating to serve us but space between the courses. Overall, we spent nearly $90 per person with two glasses of wine. Lovely experience with great food, just wanted to be a bit more blown away for price/hype for the full 5!
The OG of all restaurants in our book. We went to the cafe after our courthouse wedding ceremony in 2002, and we returned for our anniversary last night and we're still so impressed. The service is impeccable, the food is fresh and healthy, and the ambiance is lovely. We ordered the bread and anchovies, baked goat cheese salad, kind salmon, and grilled chicken and it was all perfectly cooked, nicely seasoned, and well plated. The best part was dessert - I'm so glad we saved room for it! We got the lemon ice cream on a meringue with a blueberry compote and it was to die for. The textures and flavors came together beautifully and it was not too sweet or heavy. We were tempted to lick the plate clean. Definitely our favorite special occasion spot in the Bay Area.
I've been hearing such great things about this restaurant and was finally able to come in and try it. Their menu apparently changes weekly, and our party of four had a reservation for Saturday night. The place definitely has a classic look and feel. Everything we tried that evening was delicious. The corkage fee is reasonable at $40 per bottle of wine, and the service was flawless. We will definitely return--perhaps to try their café lunch menu.
Exquisite. That is all. Bucket list stop for us as we continue in our 25 years of marriage and culinary adventuring! Seemed like a gift that we were able to grab a lunch reservation. Service, impeccable, every bite of food was as delicious as we had anticipated. Tried the seasonal Ricotta and Fava Bean Salad.., if you see it, snag it! Then shared the chicken and halibut!
It has been many years since I last ate here. So when a friend suggested coming here for lunch, I was looking forward to it! Parking was fairly easy, there were 2 hour parking on the street just a block or two away. Ambiance is still wonderful. Service is still great. Food is still the tops! It's the original farm to table approach - Alice Waters started the movement! They took our drink order fairly quickly and then brought us a bread. We were famished so we ate up the bread! The beet salad and the baked goat cheese salad were both amazing. My daughter and I shared the carrot and rutabaga soup - it was good but not that innovative. I had the roasted pork loin which I didn't really like. Meat was chewy and not as flavorful. The rigatoni with chanterelles was absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend this dish. The Moroccan chicken and the rockfish were fine but to me, the pasta was the star entree! My daughter and her friend loved the apple galette. Highly recommend!
Lovely charming restaurant which is hard to book. Old detailed restaurant but updated and not feeling old at all. High taste and the food presentation is amazing. Food is used by fresh organic ingredients only. Taste very delicate, maybe too delicate and too high quality and it is not somehow wow. Four of us had shared two appetizers, 4 main dishes, 3 desserts and 4 cofffes at $320 including 18% tip. I thought best dish was dessert. Chocolate mousse and apricot pie( with ice cream- ice cream was ok). read more
Was fortunate enough to get a reservation here. This restaurant is everything you think it is. Ambiance was impeccable, food was fantastic. I brought a nice bottle of wine which paired very well with the meal also. I ate at the restaurant, not the cafe. read more
8 months ago
This place was packed on a random Wednesday! After trying the pork plate and pasta plate it makes sense. The service was amazing and the food was up to par. Definitely check this place out!! read more
9 days ago
This restaurant remains an icon even all these years later. And that's because the food is so good. Made a reservation for the upstairs cafe and came for lunch on a Thursday. They sat us in the gorgeous front sunroom! I tried: + Local halibut tartare + Little gem lettuce + Rigatoni + Bouillabaisse a la panisse + Meyer lemon ice cream meringue dessert The lettuces were incredible... still thinking about them a month later. Rigatoni was also perfect. Sadly they ran out of the rhubarb galette that we'd been dying to try, but otherwise no notes. read more
7 months ago
The salad was superb. The main course/entree, however, was underwhelming. I ordered the sole. I expected it to be exceptional. I mean you're not a Michelin star restaurant but I expected the dish to, at least, be flavorful. Not only was it bland (I had to put salt a few times) it also had a very fishy aftertaste. Also, I expected dimension on the flavor but it was just the sauce and the fishy fish. For something that was $43, I also had a higher expectation. The dessert (persimmon custard I think) was also underwhelming. The server was excellent, though. She was very helpful in explaining some of the options. The ambiance was wonderful. It's missing the rowdy crowd, thank goodness. I'm not going to cancel the place out despite my experience with the food and will give it another chance in the future. read more
The dessert was out of the world: I would give it 5 stars any day every day. We come back and order just the desserts because it's that good. Every dessert I have ordered from here has been out of this world. However, the food itself from the menu really disappointed us. I've ordered a pasta dish and pizza dish, and both were very mediocre. While the ingredients were fresh, preparation was perfect, and presentation was amazing. The food itself lacked flavor for a restaurant with this much hype. So, I def would not go here for the food but the desserts give u enough reason to make one visit and 10 more. The service the first time I went was poor, they forgot about us and took an hour to bring the food. While they did apologize that was all we got. However, I do think that was a one time mishap bc that did not happen the other times. The ambience is beautiful and well done. read more
1 year ago
Haven't been here since the pandemic. Got a treat from our son to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary and my 57th birthday. Had a short wait of 15 minutes from our reservation time. They were packed! Decided not to do the wine paring but just by glass. The wait staff recommended a nice glass of red. The bread was as good as I have remembered. The taste of food was a little on the salty side... well very salty for the clams. The dessert was a bit disappointing. I would expect more than just ice cream, don't get me wrong the Ice cream was nice and light, but I was expecting something a bit more extravagant or elegant. The service was attentive with our glasses were always filled with sparkling water. They didn't scrape the crumbs until the main dish which left the table a bit messy for photos. The gaps between dishes were quite long. I guess they are waiting to serve many tables of the same items at the same time and we just ate too fast?? But it was just long wait in between. Having celebrated special occasions in many other restaurants in the US and Asia, I am used to having special complimentary individual cake served for the celebration. Here all we got was the piece of paper saying happy anniversary on the dessert that was part of the set meal. Since we celebrated both birthday and anniversary, they gave me an addition little plate of few pieces of candied peels and nuts and candle with another paper banner of happy birthday. I am not gonna lie, I was disappointed. But I guess it is the thought that counts??? Overall it was a decent meal and if you ask me if worth the price tag, I would say no. read more
In the upstairs section of the curated farm to table restaurant is a more relaxed dining experience. The ambiance remains consistent through the venue. White shirted staff wait on you and a procured menu of fresh ingredients waits in three courses. I opted with a goat cheese salad with fresh garden greens to begin. The greens were exactly what I wanted: crisp and earthy. I the. Ordered the leg of lamb with spinach, green peas and shoestring potatoes... the lamb was impeccable. Tender and every piece filleted to perfection. I'm not normally one for shoestring potatoes, but these were cut so thin, barely shaved off the potato, and soaking them in the drippings of the lamb and vegetables yielded soft, flavorful bites of potato. read more
Little Shop of Waters Located in Berkeley's "Gourmet Ghetto" neighborhood, Chez Panisse is one of the Bay Area's most legendary restaurants. Founded in 1971 by iconic author, food activist and restaurateur Alice Waters, who is credited with the creation of the farm-to-table dining. While lots of restaurants claim farm-to-table, Chez Panisse puts them to shame, as most (±75%) of their produce is grown by their farm, The Edible Schoolyard, and the rest of the ingredients--meat included!--are sourced from within a fifty-mile radius of the restaurant. Chez Panisse is also one of the Bay's most critically acclaimed restaurants as they were named "Best Restaurant in America" (2001) by Gourmet magazine; from 2002-2008 it was named one of the Top-50 Restaurants in the *WORLD* by Restaurant magazine; and was awarded a coveted Michelin Star (2006-2009) for four years. They currently have a Michelin Green Star for "Sustainable Gastronomy," because of the reasons mentioned above. Dining at Chez Panisse has two options: either a fixed four-course dinner ($$$$) downstairs or an á la carte lunch in the upstairs café ($$$). We chose the latter, for obvious reasons. :) The Good: *Reservations only and they can be booked thru their website or Resy. *The building is beautiful and the giant Monkey Puzzle tree outside is a-mazing! The art deco interior is also gorgeous and classy. *Service, by Hasti, was exceptional, as it should be in a place like this. *Both salads we ordered were the highlights of meal, as they were both executed beautifully in taste, texture, and presentation. The Wood Oven-roasted Broccoli & Delicata Squash w/ breadcrumbs and chili oil was phenomenal. If it's still in the menu when you get here, we highly recommend it. *Both entrées were also executed to perfection as the proteins were cooked perfectly, as even the finicky halibut was so moist and delicious. The little crispy rib that came with the grilled pork loin, was full of flavor and smoky goodness and the Gaufrette Potatoes (i.e., crisscut fries) were perfectly fried and crispy. *Both desserts were again technically great dishes. The persimmon pudding had a nice creamy texture that paired well with the tart pomegranate seeds. The apple galette was delicious as well with its buttery crust and lightly sweet, tart and thinly-sliced apples. The Meh: *The (complimentary) Acme Sourdough Bread & buttah' at the table was great but we just wish they'd warmed up the butter a touch. Trying to spread cold butter on room temp bread isn't a fun endeavor. *Beer and wine only, which works for us, but if you're looking for something a little stiffer maybe best to pregame outside. ;) *Portion size is definitely well-below American "normal," If you catch my drift. The Ugly: *As mentioned above by the "$" signs, this place ain't cheap and probably a special occasion only type of place for us plebes. We dined here on NYE, so it was justified in our minds. :-) Conclusion: Firstly I would like to say it was an honor to eat at such an iconic restaurant and despite my gripes about the $$$$, I would gladly do it again. You don't come to Chez Panisse to be blown away by wild, new inventive flavors. No, you come to Chez Panisse for exceptionally fresh food, prepared simply, and executed perfectly. read more
Chez panisse is everything I hoped for and more. Fresh ingredients and everything tasted great! Had a salad and the chicken dish. My daughter had the molasses cake for dessert which was so good. I wish I ate more of her cake haha. I would definitely come back again to the cafe upstairs read more
2 years ago
Chez Panisse is everything you want in a restaurant: classy decor, amazing service and seasonal food prepared perfectly. But it comes with a price. We made reservations for New Year's Eve and had a wonderful meal. Our salads were our favorite part of the meal. John was a bit disappointed that they didn't have lamb or duck on the menu but that's what you get when you roll the dice and their menu changes every day. Everything was delicious but be prepared that the portions are small especially for the price. But part of the price includes the experience in my opinion. To finally taste and experience Alice Waters' food is worth it. read more
5 months ago
Excellent ambiance, service, and food. I've been wanting to go to Chez Panisse for a while. Finally made it. The place is beautiful. The food is not for everyone. The food is expensive, but I enjoyed it. The service was perfect. If you're a foodie, Chez Panisse is a destination where farm to fork was started by the legendary chef Alice Waters. I would go again and recommend this place for special occasions anytime. read more
My husband's dream, ever since he was a student, wanted to go to Chez Panisse. We finally had the chance to go this past weekend. He fulfilled his poor college student dream to eat there. Definitely worth it! The place opened at 11:30 for the cafe side. We were the first ones waiting. We got walked in and up the stairs to the second floor. We were seated in a booth and our waiter was wonderful. I don't think I ever caught his name but he is clean shaven with a bald head. Even when we were inquiring about drip coffee, he had an answer to everything we asked. We started off with three different salads - beets, lettuce, and one more. See the menu I've attached. We also ordered the tomato gazpacho. I know the menu changes daily based on what's available but hopefully you'll get to try these dishes when they are on the menu. My oldest ordered the rigatoni, I shared the halibut with my younger child and my husband ordered the pork. I didn't get to try the rigatoni but v the halibut was drizzled in sauce and was the softest halibut I've ever had. So delicate! The pork, though, was our favorite. Who knew pork could taste like that?!? Not your standard everyday pork. They cook the pork loin in a wood fire oven ( we were seated right across from the ovens). I don't know how they can ensure the tenderness of every slice! We also had a side of bread and butter as well as a bowl of mixed olives. For dessert, we got a plate of figs with raspberries along with a duet of sherbet with vanilla ice cream. See the menu attached. Well worth the experience. read more
9 months ago
I didn't notice this restaurant at first; it's a bit easy to miss, but after climbing those front steps, you'll be walking into an unforgettable experience. The cafe is located on the second floor, so you'll be climbing up some more steps if that's where you're headed. From what I was told, the cafe is where you can pick what dishes you want to order -- like a typical restaurant. And the "restaurant" is located on the first floor, with a prefix menu experience. We came here on a Saturday night with a reservation at 9:15PM for the cafe, and the entire place was packed. It felt a bit too crowded for my tastes, but the atmosphere was lovely with all the dark wood, intimate lighting, and European decor. We arrived just in time for our reservation, but they didn't seat us until about 20 minutes after. The host was apologetic, and we gave him grace considering every table was already full - and for good reason, too! (The food and staff were absolutely phenomenal; we definitely took our own time with enjoying the delicious dishes and soaking in the atmosphere.) The staff were all so personable and checked in on us multiple times. They were lovely to speak to and super attentive to our needs. I'm not a huge fan of alcohol, so I got myself a raspberry seltzer. The other two ordered various alcohol drinks, but the only notable one that I personally liked was the moscato. Now, onto the food! They serve you complimentary bread and butter. Nothing too extraordinary about the taste, but I did like the soft and spongy texture. The crust isn't too hard, so I don't have any complaints here. They frequently come by to refill your water and stock up on your bread and butter. We exhibited some restraint and stopped after only one refill on our bread. Their sample online menu is slightly different from their in-house paper menu but not drastically different. The overall essence of the dishes were really similar. Out of the three of us, we shared 2 appetizers (broccoli di ciccio salad; baked andante cheese salad, 3 entrees (rigatoni verde; chicken al mutton; spicy sausage pizza), and 2 desserts (maple and walnut ice creams; ginger-molasses cake). Every dish was amazing. I have compliments for every single one of them. Every bite made me want more. I had a huge smile on my face the entire time I was there; I was so happy. The broccoli salad had a nice acidic sauce with tender vegetables. The goat cheese was so creamy and decadent. The chicken was so juicy with the absolute best skin I've ever tasted in my life and even the sides on this dish were incredible! (I seriously love those roasted carrots, I think about them still.) The pizza had a strong flavor with a nice kick to the heat. The rigatoni was the most tame of the dishes with a more subtle flavor, but it was still creamy and delicious. The two ice cream scoops were equally great but combined together, they were next level. The ginger-molasses cake didn't personally appeal to me, but the other two ate that up so fast. If you couldn't already tell from how much I raved about this place, I very much enjoyed my time here. I will for sure stop by again. read more
This was my first time at this very well known restaurant by everyone except me. My son, who just moved to Berkley told us that we must come here based on our love of great food and we managed a reservation for the cafe. Street parking was relatively easy, actually we parked a block ahead of the restaurant only to find plenty of street parking ahead. The Cafè is so cozy with a very classic-comfortable venue. The open kitchen was visible from our table and I couldn't take my eyes off of all the action while we were dining. Our server came over to us seconds after we sat down to introduce himself and give us an overview of the restaurant. We'll start wit the bread which was nice and warm and the butter was excellent. After perusing the menu we decided on the Rock Fish for me and the grilled Pork main dish. We had decided earlier on the share the goat cheese salad. The main dishes were amazing. So fresh and tasty, There was something about the meal that made it special. Service was incredible and we felt very comfortable with the team confirming with his that all was good and we did not need anything in addition to what we had. Dining here is on another level. We were so happy to be able to secure a reservation and look forward to our next visit. It was also fun to be able to photograph the kitchen staff after dinner. Everyone is so friendly here. KUDO's to the tam at Chez Panisse. read more
I had dinner at Chez Panisse about 25 years ago. The food and the experience was as good last night as it was 25 years ago. Our 4-course prix fixe meal was over the top. Great fish course, great saffron pasta course, great pork loin and great raspberry and Meyer lemon tart for dessert. The wine pairings were excellent too. The atmosphere is great - dark wood everywhere that is homey and also elegant. It's hard to get a reservation, but keep trying! read more
4 months ago
2 months ago
5 months ago
finally tried this institution. love the craftsman style and the open kitchen. enjoyed the crab salad, caviar blinis, and our two wines. other courses were fine but not noteworthy. service was polished and warm. read more
Legendary place , food was amazing , bucket list spot checked off the list , matrie'd went above and beyond to get us a table . This is a special place great for a special occasion , for serious foodies . Or anyone who just enjoys elegance . Berkeley's best read more
We had reservations at Chez Panisse for Thursday February 13th and we were so excited for the experience. Chef Aloce Waters founded the restaurant in the 70's and with it being such an iconic establishment in the food industry we had to try it out. The good: 1. Food was excellent and super flavorful. 2. Courses came out in a timely manner. 3. The portion sizes for each plate were above average in my opinion. 4. Apertif was amazing and one of my favorites of the night. The "bad": 1. Service was not what I was expecting. Waitress didn't introduce herself with her name. 2. Bread and butter was a little meh. I wish they were both warmed up slightly. Would've elevated the experience a little more. 3. We did have to wait around 10-15 minutes after our reservation started to be seated which I thought was a little strange. Overall we would recommend and come back. It's an amazing restaurant, but not cheap. For the price, I do hope some of the kinks I mentioned are worked out. It would make the dining experience so much better. read more
10 months ago
Went for a birthday dinner last year, and it's just not worth it. Did the set menu with my partner, and he did the wine paring. Incredible app, and forgettable everything else. I also would've expected better service at a fine dining establishment such as this. Gorgeous cozy wooden interior though. Wouldn't go back nor recommend. read more
Chez Panisse is a wonderful place to go for special occasions. I booked a table to celebrate my two-year anniversary of competitive intramural ikebana design and was pleased with the warm and homey atmosphere of chez panisse. Alice Waters has truly done a wonderful job at elevating farm-to-table cuisine. I enjoyed the freshness and thoughtfulness of each dish and the experience of watching the kitchen was truly a treat. I may try the cafe next, which is a more casual, accessible, a la carte version of the main dining room. read more
10 months ago
Came here a long time ago so the menu right now shall be completely different. It is combination of traditional French style and farm to table, officially called Mediterranean legacy The entire architectural style was very unique, with a blend of medieval modernity and a touch of Oriental elements. Food, as a whole, does not give a particularly stunning impression yet fresh read more
6 months ago
A classic for a reason. Always an excellent meal and great for a special occasion. But now that so many restaurants have adopted their approach - locally-sourced, seasonal cooking - it doesn't feel as unique as it once did. That said, our meal was lovely. Our servers were attentive and helpful, making some adjustments for food sensitivities and the coursing recommendations. It's also a very warm and welcoming dining room. It was the only time I was warm enough on my entire trip to the bay area! read more
Jamie W decided we needed to go somewhere special for my birthday, but I'm getting so old I'm just excited to get up in the morning. Anyhow, he decided this legendary spot would do, and frankly it's been decades since my last visit here, i.e., the pre-Yelp era. We walk by Alice Waters' pioneering farm-to-table restaurant all the time. Apparently they didn't miss us because it continues to thrive 53 years after it opened even if they lost a Michelin star along the way. We didn't patronize the tony restaurant below with the $175 set menu because...well hell, it's $175. Besides I actually preferred the a la carte approach in the cafe upstairs. I need choices, man. We got seated in the front alcove surrounded by the craftsman-style windows and light fixtures. The rustic bread and creamy butter arrived quickly (photo: https://yelp.to/m3D57X70EH). We started with a couple of the $6 Sour Cherry Spritzers (photo: https://yelp.to/oi6NXClKuF). They provided a manageably fruity puckeriness. We wisely started with their signature salads. Jamie ordered the $19 Heirloom and Cherry Tomato Salad with purple basil and aioli (photo: https://yelp.to/zvyPWOhhpR). It struck me as a bit sparse, but the tomatoes tasted beyond fresh. I had the $18 Little Gems Lettuce with cucumbers, marinated beets, and creamy herb dressing (photo: https://yelp.to/Qg1Lt6IT2e). That was a bit more predictable, but it didn't matter since I'm a huge little gems fan. For his entree, Jamie had the $43 Northern Halibut with carrots, romano beans, new potatoes, and chervil buerre blanc (photo: https://yelp.to/pGnUmll2Xm). That was one tender piece of fish and the buerre blanc didn't overwhelm the plate. I had the $38 Braised Duck with sweet corn polenta, peperonata, hazelnuts, sage, and black mission figs (photo https://yelp.to/r8dbuTxkaj). The duck was nice with the right texture to the skin, and it blended well with the sweet elements. Dessert finally arrived. Jamie had the $15 Lindsey's Chocolate Cake with bourbon caramel, candied pecans, and crème chantilly (photo: https://yelp.to/mvt37orIpW), while I went for the $15 Fig Galette with vanilla ice cream (photo: https://yelp.to/hJeYNCWYpF). No argument on the quality of their desserts. They are masters. Mine was festooned with a little Happy Birthday banner. Nice though three of the other tables were celebrating birthdays. It was no wonder the servers weren't breaking into song. FOOD - 4 stars...still impressive gastronomy though some portions were on the wee side AMBIANCE - 5 stars...the low lighting and craftsman decor still work SERVICE - 4.5 stars...staff was quite polished TOTAL - 4 stars...still a fine dining destination upstairs with fresh farm-to-table plates served...its legacy may overshadow its consistency RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places l've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u read more
What an absolutely special dining experience! This was my third time, my dining companion's first. We opted to enjoy the four course set menu in the dining room. I did bring my own bottle of wine. The service was impeccable from the minute we stepped inside and were greeted by the host. This theme of service was carried through the entire evening by each member of the staff we interacted with. Bravo for making us feel special, honored and welcomed all at once! The menu was spectacular. We were greeted with a prosecco that contained a mulberry syrup. Our opening course was a scallop salad, followed by a Dungeness crab pasta. Both had smooth yet complex flavors. Our main meal was quail and we were informed that we arrived on a very special night, as quail is a rare delight! Dessert was vanilla ice cream served with poached pear and a deep chocolate sauce. Every bite was amazing. Thank you everyone at Chez Panisse for making our dinner a memorable event. read more
6 months ago
Delicious food and great service. Definitely price and a special occasion kind of place. We were pleasantly surprised with the small appetizer, dessert tea, and small candies (orange peel and chocolate covered almonds) included with the prix fixe menu! read more
5 months ago
First time trying squab and it was amazing. I'd had this place bookmarked for years after hearing about it from Michael Pollan and was finally in the area to try. Every bite of this meal was incredible. I'm hoping to find myself up in NorCal again to at least try the Cafe. read more
I've always wanted to come to this classic and timeless restaurant. It didn't disappoint! There was a set menu which may not be for everyone but you can always dine upstairs for more options. Some things to consider before you go. The area doesn't have much parking, or valet parking, and wasn't as dressy as I expected. The food and service was unbelievable lots of attention to detail which was to be expected. Really excited to come back and try something new. read more
1 year ago
I've wanted to come here for years. To be able to dine where farm to table originated comes with expectations and excitement. We've had our share of exceptional dining experiences from restaurants like Benu to Gary Danko. This restaurant had a lot to live up to. Chez Panisse did not disappoint. The food is not outlandish. It is simple seasonal ingredients prepared exceptionally well. One of the standouts from the meal was the grilled duck with parsley purée, turnips and potatoes. The duck didn't have an ounce of gaminess. Each bite was tender, flavorful and memorable. The service was excellent. The restaurant has cozy late 70's art deco vibes. I feel privileged to have finally dined at such an important establishment. read more
6 months ago
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Ask the Community - Chez Panisse
Does the restaurant/cafe have a dog friendly patio? Traveling with my dog and have this hiccup.
There's no patio dining here.
Is the restaurant accessible to a person with a walker?
Only the downstairs dining room (I believe there's an ADA ramp). But no elevator to the Café on the second floor.
Is there an elevator to get to the second floor cafe?
Definitely not. I was on crutches and had to hop up the stairs to the cafe! It was scary and dangerous.
Are they still requiring proof of Covid vaccine and booster to dine here?
NO. It said that when I went but they didn't ask.
Are they still serving the late night steak frites?
We asked for it in March 2023 and our server said they haven't offered it in years! So sad :'(
Do they have outdoor seating to eat there or is it all indoor and takeout only?
All indoors
How long does it take to eat dinner there? We have an appointment at 7PM elsewhere in Berkley and I want to know if we can make it given a 5:30pm reservation.
No way. 2 hours min.
Do they cater to vegans in the restaurant for dinner?
They're only able to accommodate vegetarians.
Is there a dress code?
Amazingly, for such a 5-star restaurant, it’s relatively casual
What do you tip at Chez Panisse? I was so confused by the 17% service charge - do you top that up by 3% to 20% or do you add an additional 20% of the subtotal to the bill?
According to the note. 17% service charge goes back to restaurant so they can pay their (good?) wages & benefit. If you want to tip the server, you can add on top of the 17%. This one will goes directly to the waiters/server.
Is there any parking at the restaurant?
There may (don't really recall be valet parking, but there's only street parking (no parking lot) some of which is zoned for local residents only during certain hours. We only did lunch and parked a block and a half away. Ate upstairs. It's a…
Not sure, but are kids welcome? Doesn't sounds like it.
We brought our daughter when she was 5 or 6, but she eats everything so the food was not an issue for her. They were super nice to her and even gave her a tour of the kitchen.
Do people know if the cafe is still serving the late night steak dish past 930 pm?
Do not know as we dined in the ground floor dining room.
Does any one know how to confirm reservation? They called me asking to confirm by calling them on my voicemail but their number won't accept Messages... and no one answers.
How bizarre! Make sure you call back during business hours, which are 9am to 9:30pm, PST Mon-Sat. I had no problem getting live people on the phone to make my reservation as well as confirm it. Keep trying!
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243 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Chez Panisse - newamerican - Updated August 2026
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