Love coming here!! Always great service. I have been coming here for years and know everybody that works here.

I've been going to Fat Apples for years with my mom to get their delicious burgers and their FANTASTIC curly fries. But on top of already loving them, my mom and me decided to have my birthday dinner there and it was GREAT! We got their around 8:15 which is close to closing but they welcomed us happily and let us choose where to sit. Our server was a young lovely gentleman who was chipper and excited to have us. My mom told him that it was my birthday and he treated us like queens! Gave us a couple extra sips of wine and added cucumbers to my salad Even though they were low on deserts, they still made our to-go chocolate malted milkshake (fantastic omg) magical by putting whipped cream, a candle and bringing his coworkers out to sing me happy birthday! They were all such lovely guys and it truly made my birthday. I don't know their names but I hope they see this so they know I LOVE YOU GUYS! read more

This is the original location. I used to come here a fair amount and remember lines out the door, but haven't been here in decades. Once the El Cerrito location opened that's where we'd go. Today I met Nina here for lunch. She's been taking a class in downtown Berkeley and has been taking the bus, which lets her off right across the street from the restaurant. This has become her Wednesday habit and the waitress, Corazon, knows her. When I walked in Nina was already seated at "her" table in the back corner. I joined her and we both decided to have the 1/2 sandwich and soup combination, which is $7. The soup was a thick and delicious tomato-rice. Nina had half a turkey sandwich and I had half a BLT on whole wheat w/ added avocado. Nina had coffee and I had tea. Service was sweet, friendly and attentive. In addition to the soup the half sandwich came w/ a generous serving of coleslaw. It was really too much food and I left most of the coleslaw, just nibbling the pecans from the top. The sandwich was very good, w/ thick slices of tomato, meaty bacon cooked crispy and fresh lettuce, along w/ sliced avocado. The soup was perfect for the surprisingly chilly day it turned out to be. I think Nina and I may make a tradition of meeting here after she returns from her upcoming three week trip to Mexico. read more

Yelp, I have a confession. I've held back from you. I have waited a long time before deciding that I will yelp about this Fat Apple's because it's special to me. No, not special as in "I like it." But special as in, this was where he and I had a first meal. This is where "the rest is history" happened to me. This, is where he and I have promised to find each other if we're ever lost. So, it went like this...we had met several times before and it wasn't until the third time that I finally agreed to go to his mother's house in Berkeley to pick up these law school outlines. No, I wasn't initially interested. I had a boyfriend then. It seemed too complicated to even have my interest piqued. But several months later, when we met again, and he offered the outlines, I figured there was really nothing to lose by picking up these outlines at his mother's house in Berkeley (I was single by then AND I needed these gosh darn outlines). So....I picked up these outlines and he asked me out for brunch. Seeing that I had nothing better to do, I agreed. We parked in front of this restaurant called "Fat Apples." "Strange name," I said. "Yes," he said. "I grew up in Berkeley and it used to be called "Fat Albert's," but then the restaurant got sued by Bill Cosby and they changed their name." We were chatting for a while because the line was so long, out the door, really...yes, this restaurant gets that busy on the weekends. And then, we finally sat down. I remember ordering an omelet, which was not what he had recommended, but I'm stubborn like that. It was good, but not great. He was right. I didn't tell him so until 5 years later. He ordered pancakes or french toast. I can't remember but I remember the thick, hot syrup. I remember sipping on coffee (Peet's), and thinking, "Wow, this is great coffee." I poured the cream and thought, "wow, they use real cream too...not that cheap half/half stuff." And we began to chat, about our families, our lives, about free will versus determinism....That was seven years ago. We're married now and the rest is history. When we bought our house in Berkeley, we had to write about "ourselves." We wrote a letter to the owner and mentioned that our first meal was at Fat Apple's. The owner was moved. He and his wife were undergrads at UC Berkeley and fell in love there too. They ended up picking our offer. Anyway, we return to this restaurant again and again. The memories come back to me every time...just one sip of coffee...I'd highly recommend this joint, even if not for the memories....The burgers are great, the breakfast is also great, and it just feels like you're in the heart of Berkeley. And now you know, Yelp, why this place gets 5+ stars from me. read more

I take my breakfast serious, as I am not one to have it daily. So, when I have guests in town and decide to go all out, I want big farmer breakfasts w/the works. I want someone to roll me out the door with my doggy-bag in tow. So, how did I end up here? Oh yeah, because Lois the Pie Queen didn't take credit cards! The reviews and pictures online deemed this place worthy of a shot. OK so, Yelp has steered me wrong a couple times now. Damn you people..have you no taste buds? So, with a small wait that was just starting to reach "line out the door" status, we embarked on our breakfast here and it was meh, all right I guess. Very average. If the service had been off the hook or had the plates been brimming with buttery goodness in every bite, I could understand the packed-status of this place. But it wasn't. We had the laziest waitress in the place. There were 3 working the room and I saw the other 2 at all times.. not sure what my waitress was off doing, but it wasn't waitressing. This place looks like one of those joints w/the best hash browns in the area.. but it's not. It's just not that great, but it didn't totally suck. read more

Ooooh you gotta try the pumpkin pancakes, they're so fluffy and flavory and round and delicious. I got the short stack with a side of homefries and a latte, and it was *amazzingg*. The homefries were more like potatoes than hashbrowns, and I usually prefer the latter. Still great though. The vibe and atmosphere is so artsy and relaxing, the service is happy and friendly, and the location is nice and quiet. Easy to get there if you take the bus (79 line). Definitely coming back here again. If you're a brunch person you must try it out. read more

I like to think I was a chubby yet pretty adorable child sitting in my old-school high chair at Fat Apple's, drinking Martinelli's apple juice from an apple-shaped glass bottle, and stuffing my face with good eats. Not just for nostalgic reasons, this is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. Amazingly enough, I'm not into the breakfast or the pies all that much (unless it's strawberry). I just think that a lot of other places have greatly surpassed the quality of Fat Apple's in those regards (Bette's for breakfast; Gianna's pies at Andronico's). But the burgers and shakes are some of the most crave-worthy in the Bay Area. The best time to come to Fat Apple's is in June because it's strawberry pie month. The strawberry pie has a very short season and makes a trip for lunch overly worth it. My sister and I always come here and order an embarrassingly large amount of food. For instance, if we're getting a burger with fries, we MUST have a side salad to make ourselves feel healthier and Fat Apples has the best blue cheese dressing I've ever had. This is also the only place I'll where I'll eat a burger with cheddar cheese. Something about the way that they shred the cheddar and toast the perfectly meat-to-bread ratio'd bun makes it so much more appealing. And the shakes...Mmmmm...Fat Apple's has the best shakes in the entire world. I can only speak to the vanilla ones, but they are always so thick, icy and creamy, and never too sweet. If only I weren't constantly dieting I'd eat here way more often. read more

This Fat Apples is smaller and cozier than it's El Cerrito sister and you'll probably spend more time trying to find a place to park. However, it has the same good food, an more interesting intellectual edge, and perhaps a better and separate Bakery selection. In fact, sometimes I'll stop just for Breakfast pastry planning. My Kid also likes the fact that we can walk across the street to Mr. Mopps for toys after our late breakfast or lunch. read more

I hate you Fat Apples. I hate you so much. I have so many unpleasant memories of being dragged to your boring ais restaurant by my foodie Berkeley mom. I am old, hella old, and your menu hasn't changed EVER and I have been forced to eat here since I was like a baby. Sure you reprinted the menu with new font styles, but its the same old boring crud from when I was like 4. And I don't get what the big whoop is over your tasteless wheat buns, flavorless spaghetti and just plain old nastay pot pie...its all boring and it all sucks and I hate your guts. Oh and another thing, its called paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, maybe even some thyme and marjoram...yeah seasoning, ever freakin heard of it? Get some, seriously and use it! I am giving you two stars because your pies are off the heazay, but aside from that you suck and I hate you. read more

went into Fat Apple's bakery side. just a few items on the shelf. quick service. eats: chocolate chip cookie(1.35) -sweet cookie, soft texture, cookie huge, some parts bland. apple turnover(2.85) crust not so flakey, apple ok, just average take outs: -baked goods slightly better than average. read more

Came here for breakfast the other day with my parents and I was surprised by the quality of the food. Don't let the size of the place fool you because the food here is good. Yes the place is small and on the weekends there might be a slight wait but it's worth it. The staff here are really friendly and they are quick about their service. Everything here is organic and there are plenty of items to choice from their menu. There are also items that you can buy so you can take a treat home. The only thing that I will complain about is the parking. Since this place is on the corner in Berkeley, it is hard to find parking at times, especially when it's busy but other than that, it's not too hard to find a spot if you really look. Also, because this place is small, the seating inside can be a bit squished but if you don't mind that then it will be a good experience for you. read more

At first thought, I wouldn't say this is a 5 star place. They don't have any fantastically novel dishes, in fact they serve pretty basic food (except for the Olallie berry jam on the table - Scrumptious). But this is what I realized... I haven't kept track, but I know I have eaten breakfast here over 100 times, more than any other place in the Bay Area. I keep coming back. I love the faux book shelves and historic decor - so fitting in Berkeley where we take our intellectualism so seriously. I love the pumpkin pancakes. I love the eggs and toast. I love the wait staff and I love the people who I am eating with in the restaurant - they are always friendly and always helpful and understanding (when I have a toddler and a baby in tow on a weekend morning while my wife is sleeping in). My son is 4 and he has probably eaten here over 50 times. When we walk in we are seated immediately (we are there early) and 2 of 3 different servers know our order. They bring over my coffee and an orange juice with an extra cup so I can share with Eli. A few minutes later they bring a full stack of pumpkin pancakes and an order of eggs and sausage with fruit instead of potatoes. The whole meal gets laid out in front of us and Eli and I share. We used to live maybe 9 blocks away from here and we would walk, but 2 years ago we moved up the hill and really can't walk anywhere, but I still come down to Fat Apple's every chance I get. As it turns out, it really is a 5 star place. read more

It seems to be a rare day, especially a week day, when SG and I are both around to have breakfast. I have had this place on my list for months (thanks to fellow yelpers). So, we had the time, and we took the opportunity. Thank goodness for week days, there was several tables open for breakfast at 10am. There were actually quite a few people eating out on a Friday morning. We took a look at the menu and decided on a spicy scramble and a pumpkin pancake special with eggs and sausage. The service was a little slow, but it seemed our waitress was doing the whole place. We had to ask a few times for sweetener, but otherwise she came around with coffee and water frequently enough. The food arrived and I immediately noticed that the portions are not super huge, but actually were about what people should be eating. Both meals were VERY GOOD. My side of scone, cranberry oatmeal, was delicious! I gather that their baked goods are all a highlight! The place is cute. There are books and shelves painted on the walls and lots of portrait pictures. We are pretty sure these are Jack London shots. It would be only appropriate for the area. The staff is very nice and the place is clean. I would definitely recommend this place. Try the pumpkin pancakes for sure and the scones!!! read more

We have tried twice, and it's just average. Small portions, very bad coffee. My wheat pancakes tasted of burnt onions, and the tiny, half filled portion of syrup was tasteless. Skimping on syrup is a very unusual sign of something? My partner had a combo plate. Eggs and buttermilk pancakes, just ok as the pancakes didn't taste right, perhaps needing a tiny shot of sugar? Nice place, cozy, friendly. But it just feels like they are barely making it. Clearly a local hangout, regulars parked one to a two seat table, reading the paper sipping the flavorless coffee or clustered in groups. I can dig it's a local hangout, no issue. But it falls very short on the food. Many better places in town. Sad as it may be, a chain restaurant might be a better choice. MEH. read more

On an impromptu breakfast/hangover cure quest while staying as a guest in North Berkeley, I came upon a highly ranked little joint called Fat Apple's that was a hop skip and a jump away. Originally I had been thinking, hey, McDonalds breakfast doesn't sound that bad right about now -- but then this cafe caught my eye and curiosity won out in the end over frugality. I ordered to go -- corned beef hash, eggs over-medium, side of rye toast, a chocolate eclair and a couple of day-old cheese puffs. The order took not long at all, and the servers up front were very efficient and kind. However, there ends the fairy tale. I was looking forward to the olallieberry jam that supposedly came with the toast, and it wasn't there. Half the toast was a good crunchy and the other half was soggy from all the butter they drenched on it. I opened the lovely box of meaty eggy goodness to find a small mound of corned beef hash with the eggs and two slices of tomato. Grr. Maybe it was the disproportionate size of the box, or maybe it was just my starving hungover fat ass, but my heart just sank. So no olallieberry jam, and this tiny thing that I had to transfer onto a normal plate because the box was weirdly set up. I find it strange also (like what other reviewers were saying) that the food was more lukewarm than actually hot. I understand that it did last a short drive home, but even when I do that in other breakfast capacities the food is still reasonably warm -- but not here. To pour further salt into the wound, the hash itself wasn't good at all. The menu claims that it is cooked with "herbs and spices" and I'm sure that's fantastic and all, but you might want to add some salt in there too. I'm a huge corned beef hash connoisseur and trust me, this felt completely flat. To add final insult to injury, this whole breakfast mess cost me nearly $15 -- $10 for the meal, $5 for the pastries. Add +1 for the cheese puff. It is to DIE for. No wonder a lady came in after I did and ordered almost two dozen to go. I haven't had the eclair yet but I'm sure it can't let me down as much as everything else did. ETA: I misplaced the eclair later on in the day. FML. read more

This burger joint located in North Berkeley caters to the hippified-yuppie family set. You know the one's I'm talking about: they drive around on three thousand dollar mountain bikes in their blue or purple microfiber Patagonia vests and nibble on ten-dollar-a-pound granola. Awesome burgers and some of the best breakfast pastries anywhere. If you try this place, get a cheese puff. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Here's another Berkeley classic! There are a few places around this town that you just have to stop off and grub out...and this one is at the top of the list. Whether it's pancakes, their wonderful sausage, great omelets, or even lunch (May I suggest the meatloaf sandwich?) I can't get enough of Fat Apple's! Yet the two most sinfully delicious items are the milkshakes and the baked goods...pies to be more precise. What a fat boy's dream! You can tell just by looking at these pies that are superb! And the taste? Let's just say I'd get an "R" rating for just describing how delicious it is! read more

Good fries, great burgers (Niman Ranch beef) and amazing pie. Incredibly amazing pie. Orgasmically delicious pie. Pie so good you'll want to stuff it all in your piehole all at once and not share. Insanely mouthwatering yum yum yum yum yummerama megasuperduperyummalicious pie. I had chocalate velvet and lemon merangue dreams all night long and the next day. If this place does good by breakfast like I think it will, I'll want to up it to 5, and I don't think it'll be very long before I go back to try it. read more

Eating at Fat Apple reminds me of my childhood breakfasts--toasts comes to the table buttered, cheese slathered on top the veggie scramble and big dollop of sour cream on potatoes. The mushrooms, I noticed, were exceptionally fresh. Next time, I'll try to remember to ask the server to delete the cheddar cheese and put the sour cream on the side. Hard to eat that with my digestive issues these days. The quiche (spinach and mushroom) was fluffy and light--my favorite entree thus far. The patrons are a mix of retired folks and college students. Pleasant wait staff. Clean bathroom. 2 entrees, 1 side dish, 1 coffee = $28.97 before tip. read more

Good service means a lot to me and Fat Apple's totally fell down on the job. Strike one: No sign up list at the door. Instead everyone queues up in the cattle stall-like and mills about wondering what's up. Please let me sign up to wait instead and let me get a mug o' coffee while I wait! It's the only decent thing to do. Strike two: Though we were able to order semi-promptly after being seated, we waited ten or so minutes (and finally had to ask) to get the coffees we ordered (whilst watching others receive their lattes, etc.). We also had to remind them that we ordered two, not just one coffee. Conversation suffered greatly during this caffeine-free period. :( Strike three: Though our plates were cleared in a reasonable manner, they didn't seem to notice that we were done with our meal and might want the check. Trying to get the waiter's attention was an exercise in futility, though eventually we were able to make contact and request to pay. Overall the food was decent, but not phenomenal and certainly nothing that would drive me to come back considering the poor service. The decor struck me as bland and didn't make me feel at home (unlike places such as Mama's Royal Cafe). The poor service especially didn't make sense because it seemed they were overstaffed(!). I hope they figure out what's up and fixes it, for the sake of the North Berkeley 'hood! read more

It's been a long time since I've been here, but I remember they have really yummy french toast and pancakes! They also have a gigantic case filled with pies in the front! The place has a very homey feel inside, although it's not very charming and a little dirty. I guess you can't expect much, considering it's Berkeley. Not surprisingly, my friends and I saw a guy stealing a chained bike off the street as we were leaving. Oh dear! read more

I must admit that I wax poetic when thinking about undergrad days and "saving" enough to have a slice of Fat Apple's amazing ollaliberry pie. Makes me think of simpler times, younger days and everything that is wonderful about Berkeley. Sure, there's the comfort/diner food & it is a veritable institution now. But, when I'm flying into SFO (even with a long enough lay over to hop on BART) fine dining me wants to hit Chez Panisse, but that undergrad of long ago thinks about which type of pie she will savor every last bite of whilst reminiscing about my misspent youth. It will always be about the pie. People rave about apple & all of their flavors...but for this Cal Bear, ollalieberry it is! read more

Did not try the bakery, what a mistake. The restaurant, for breakfast: Even on mornings where we've made breakfast at home, and been lazy with with details, we've had better breakfasts. All the veges in the omelet we ordered were raw, and eggs were rubbery. Home fries were extra un-special, starchy potatoes instead of boilers, and most egregious (as mentioned by another yelper) absolutely *no* seasoning Seriously, wtf. Salt, pepper, something in the food. Bland bland bland. All this for 8-9 bucks? Go to Sconehenge, or home made cafe instead. You'll get a tasty, unpretentious atmosphere, good baked goods, leave full, happy. Our party of 4 people didn't really have anything fancy, or any high expectations, but man, when you are let down from nothing, it's jarring. Service was fine. Giving one star, up from zero, only because the pumpkin pancakes weren't bad. Not stellar- had better at fancy bfast places, but still good. And because I want to think we were unlucky. But a saturday morning at 11am? I'd suggest getting a coffee and sweet at the bakery instead if you're in the area. Maybe lunch is better? I wouldn't risk it. read more

my friend and i have been talking for months about a pie date and that pie date had been stabbed in the side to many times it had starting to bleed out. finally after one soap opera and one broken van later, we were able to wrangle kids and friends and a smokin' hot femme in denim heels to fat apple. when you first peek in the place you are stunned by the amount of blue hairs in the room. it's pretty much covered in silver hair and dour expressions and the look their mechanical heads give you when they see you makes you think the olds might be packing heat or a blade or what so you don't want to rush into the place too fast. plus, you can't rush into fat apple because they have these wooden corral doors that you have to wait outside of in a weensy weird hallway, and in our case, part way out the door. there was a strange man fluttering behind us, trying to slip past the throng of queers. he kind of looked like a walking peanut with a grey mullet. the pie was good, just ok. we got a few different types and passed them around for sampling. there was some arm wrestling and a lot of hollering and laughing. everyone seemed to be having a really great time and as always, i am there with my ocd and my add mix to document and catalogue it all, creep that i am. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - mmmm banana cream - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is so cute! I usually don't talk about service in my reviews but quick comment on that: I came here with 3 friends and we were told that there was a 5 minute wait - no big deal. The waitresses kept apologizing over and over again that we had to wait and even once we sat down and ordered, she told us she would rush our food since we had to wait so long!! Now to the food: I am a dedicated pumpkin lover and their pumpkin pancakes are ah-mazing. I would go back to this place just for the pumpkin pancakes. I also have never heard of a lollaberry and am still not sure what it is, but they are sure tasty in scones! I liked how they warm up all of the pastries before bringing it out to you so its nice and soft. The portions aren't very big but the prices aren't very steep either. We only stuck to the brunch menu but the tables nearby ordered lunch food and the fries looked really good! read more

Busy traditional neighborhood eatery, with tables jammed close together, odd entrance with an interior gate, help stretched a bit too thin. But totally adequate menu, decent enough food, reasonable prices, and good availability. read more

Decent brunch spot but nothing to get excited about. My waffle special was a very basic flat and slightly crunchy waffle with a whack of whipped butter which was pretty tasty and accompanied by a teeny tiny sausage and one egg on the side. I was a bit underwhelmed on the whole as I am by the majority of brunch spots because the food just wasn't that special/creative/memorable. My BF's home fries with a dollop of sour cream were a bit on the burnt side which was unfortunate because his omelet was rather small. On the plus side the service was very friendly and quick which was nice, and I really liked their coffee. read more

My boyfriend and I cam here for Sunday brunch on Valentine's day and it was awesome. The wait was about 2 minutes for 2 people at 10:30am. We were seated promptly and the servers were super nice and quick. The food was typical brunch stuff, nothing extraordinary. I had chicken apple sausages, scrambled eggs, and sourdough toast. My boyfriend had corned beef hash and scrambled eggs and a blueberry danish. Where this restaurant shined food wise was in the sweets department. Their olallieberry-raspberry jam is delicious!! They aren't kidding when they say it's good. Also, their blueberry danish was incredible! They warmed it up and it melted in your mouth... I'm lucky my boyfriend is nice enough to share with me! After we enjoyed our brunch, we strolled over to their bakery next door and poked around. My boyfriend was his charming self and was talking to the ladies in the bakery and was chatting about his favorite pie from this place near where he grew up in Belmont and they gave us a slice of banana cream pie to taste test since they wanted to convert us and prove to us that theirs is better! I must say... Fat Apple's banana cream filling is phenomenal like they boasted. I will DEFINITELY come back - not necessarily because I think they serve the best brunch food in the world, but their service is OUTSTANDING and their bakery goods (cheese puffs are delicious!) and olallieberrie-raspberry jam ARE THAT AWESOME. Btw, the carrot cake cupcakes looked divine, but after eating all that brunch and having a slice of banana cream pie and 2 cheese puffs... I didn't think I'd have room for the cupcake too. Next time I'm definitely getting the cupcake!! read more

I've been to Fat Apple's a few times. I go mostly for convenience because I live down the street. And each time, I've been disappointed. This review is my pledge to never go back! Now that I look at the other negative reviews among the hoards of perplexingly good ones, I see that I'm not alone in my complaints. In short: 1) the food is decent, but the portions are small. You basically get half of what you do elsewhere - specials come with one egg and one piece of sausage or bacon for $7. 2) The service sucks rocks. I feel that a little 'tude from the staff is fine as long as people get the job done. This, however, isn't the case. The waitress didn't check in once after i got the food. This meant that i didn't get a single coffee top off--and i know that no one else did either, b/c i was sitting right across from the pots. Why would someone clear the table, and then ignore you for 10 minutes while you wave your arm in the air before deciding to pick up the check? I ended up going up to the register and skipping the coffee. Breakdown: Three stars for an average food, average decor, all around average place, minus one for small portions, minus one for the non-existent service. If you could register zero, they'd get that for making you stand in line outside. read more

A thousand years and a thousand more, this was another restaurant the family used to eat at. And I do believe it was called Fat Albert's instead of Fat Apple's (Hey! Hey! Hey!) This was the only Fat Apple's long before the El Cerrito branch came into existence. The Mother and I came here for lunch recently. Upon entering, I was quite surprised to see a gate with a sign "Please Wait to Be Seated." Seriously, as if the customer(s) was part of a group of cattle? Eventually, we did not have to wait too long to be seated and to be given menus. The day we came here, Fat Apple's appeared to be short-staffed, the service was slow and the servers were taxed a bit in performing their duties. I had to wait quite a bit in getting water refills. The Mother and I decided to try their breakfast plates. She had the corned beef hash and I had their poached eggs with bacon. And both of our plates came with a choice of pastry. I had a croissant and The Mother had toast with their olallieberry-raspberry jam. To cut a long story short, it was A-OK. Just that. I don't know if we will make a return visit to chow here. I do know if I get some solo time, I would like to return to visit the bakery side and give it a try. SYOY. read more

I don't want to sound like a horrible bitchy person, but if I ever catch myself thinking about having a kid, all I have to do is go to Fat Apple's to remind me that kids suck. To be honest the food was good, tonight's special was a beer battered fish n' chips. The fish used was a tilapia, and drenched in the malt vinegar, with lemon, and dipped in the tar-tar sauce, its pretty good...and with a pickle taboot. My BF got a Cheese Burger and the buns looked delicious. He ordered the burger medium rare. You can get the burgers topped with bacon, mushrooms, guacamole... he chose plain, and monterey jack cheese. For dessert we had ollalaberrie pie a la mode, pretty good... and the bakery next door looks like they had some tasty treats. To be honest the food was good, our server was nice, my biggest problem was the herds of yuppies with their yuppie kids. For those who don't have kids, and don't enjoy kids running around them, maybe Fat Apple's isn't for you. read more

Food was cooked well, today I ordered the Three Egg Omelette with all of the extras on it with a side of home fries. Home fries were bit over cooked and the Omelette itself cooked have adds bit more seasoning. Overall I say my experience was good, my service was nice, the one who check me out not so much. I give it 7/10 maybe I'll go back for lunch or dinner next time. read more

We stopped in for lunch due to multiple recommendations but were very disappointed. Service was friendly enough, but slow and communication wasn't great. I'd be about to ask a question or order something, and the server would take off, resulting in multiple trips back to get what was needed. The food was just so-so. There's no need to charge so much for such a huge Arnold Palmer. Really. The fries and onion rings were over cooked and too greasy, as if they'd been cooked, then cooked again to serve later. Plus, they came at least 15 minutes after the sandwiches came out. I had the meatball sub... Sauce was kind of bland and the pico de gallo on an Italian(ish) sub makes NO sense to me. If something comes with a side, state it. Because fries or Cole slaw were specifically mentioned on some sandwiches and not others, I thought the sandwich was á la carte. Then I was surprised with an item on the plate I can't eat. I hate returning food to be remade, but I had to do it. If this stuff had been described better on the menu, we could have avoided that. The meatballs themselves were decent, my partner liked his burger well enough. The salad dressing is house-made, and pretty tasty. Overall it was just a pretty underwhelming experience. This place is really pricey for what it was. I definitely won't be back. read more

So I remember hearing this rumor about pumpkin pancakes. I was like, no freakin` way! I have to get me some of these because I love pumpkin I mean I had pumpkin pie, cookies, yogurt, and now I need to add pancakes to the list! So I go looking and searching online for the area, and Fat Apple's is said to be the place to go. OH YES, they weren't kidding, so mother freakin` delicious!!! Yeah, they are a bit small, but you can get five or four (I don't quite remember) of them with an egg and some sausage. I also like their red potatoes as a side order...mmmm. Pumpkin fans you won't be disappointed with the pancakes, but anything else you get I can't say you will get your panties twisted. CONS: -Kind of pricey, that meal I just described was about 15 bucks (with tip) -Slow service, I mean yeah they might be friendly, but I have this thing with wanting to have my water refilled so I can stay hydrated -Breakfast time, you are most likely going to have to wait. They don't really have room for you to wait, so you might even have to wait outside. WARNING: Can't be bother with having your personal space invaded. The table next to you is literally a step away and almost always their are kids there, being kids. read more

This is one of those long-lived oldies, a rare neighborhood diner that has managed to survive over twenty-five years of economic ups and downs. There are those who cherish it, and those who shrug and say, "Eh, it was okay." Parking is street, and crappy. FA is small, with half the space filled by the kitchen. They're famous for their pies and pumpkin pancakes, but I needed a protein fix so went for the corned beef hash. This definitely didn't seem like the type of place to poach an egg, so I asked for 'over easy' and they were perfectly done. The hash was okay - nice small diced potatoes, with shreds of corned beef just salty enough but not too salty, and some sauteed onion. It was good, but nothing exceptional. The service was fast and efficient, but you have to remember to ask for refills on any beverage, because they don't make the rounds to top off cups the way most breakfast places do. It's a decent place for breakfast, but with Royal Café/Albany and Bistro 1491/Berkeley so nearby and much easier to find street parking, I don't see much reason to come here. Fat Apple's isn't at the level of these two favorites of ours, so unless you're in the area and need something within walking distance, you can pass this one by. read more

Same stars. I really dislike how you wait for tables, it gets really packed in that small entry way. I am pretty sure blocking the door is a fire hazard. Tables feel crowded. We've been seated twice by the waitresses drink station/walk way to restrooms and it is always so busy. Orange juice comes out of a gallon container that one could buy at the grocery store :/ Pancakes, especially pumpkin, are really all they have going for them in my opinion. We only came here again because Sauls was packed (never been) and Sunny Side was too far away. On the plus prices were cheaper than the aforementioned breakfast establishments. read more

Food- 2 stars (4 stars for pumpkin pancakes & olliberry jam) Service- 3 stars Atmosphere- 2 stars It's been a few years since I had eaten here. We went for breakfast on a Sunday morning (actually before Noon) which is quite a feat for me on a Sunday. Our server was very pleasant, but definitely seemed frazzled. They were out of the first SIX choices of pastry that i attempted to order. It was 10:30 on a Sunday & a restaurant/BAKERY was out most of their selection. Not a huge deal... just a little odd for a BAKERY so early in the day. We had 2 different egg dishes & split a short stack of pumpkin pancakes. Most of the food was lukewarm, the potatoes were cold & pretty bland (i guess the flavor is supposed to come from the sour cream). The chicken apple sausage had an odd texture. The pumpkin pancakes were DELICIOUS! & their house made olliberry jam.... I am tempted to buy a case of it! read more

YUM! This place gives you the small town feel in an urban environment. The service was impeccable and food was yummy. I ordered the 2 eggs, potatoes, with chicken apple sausage and we shared a short stack of pumpkin pancakes at our table. The pumpkin pancakes left a little to be desired... I was expecting a stronger pumpkin flavor but still delicious nonetheless. The waiter split our bill 4 ways for our convenience which was amazing. P.S. Their orange juice is GREAT... especially if its curing a hangover. I'll be back!! read more

Great place - usually quick and easy. Best waffle in the area hands down! Everything else is okay but not stellar like the waffle. Pastries are good. It's a great option in the morning on my way to work- good comfort food and priced okay read more

With a menu identical to that of the El Cerrito location, Berkeley Fat Apple's has a different feel. The place is much smaller but for some reason not cozy. You enter the restaurant via saloon style doors, which is kinda cool and unique. Having the same menu, breakfast easily trumps lunch and dinner here too. The service seems a bit more lacking, despite the smallness of the place. It takes them a while to get some momentum on serving your table. The bakery next door is nice. One can always rely on good coffee, cran-oatmeal scones awesome cheese puffs, and chocolate chip cookies. read more