10/10 food was amazing highly recommend service was amazing food was ready very quick read more

Gusto - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

I am so glad there is now a place to eat "proper" couscous in Berkeley!! I need to preface this review by saying that both my parents were born in Algeria, I grew up eating my dad's couscous, and he is an excellent cook. So I believe I have a pretty high bar when it comes to this cuisine... Gusto did not disappoint!! We tried their Tajine and two types of couscous (poulet and mixte), the flavors were rich, and the "graine" (i.e. the actual couscous under the stew) was perfect. Oh and the owner went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and valued. Mille mercis pour le Makroudh - it was perfect, just like my mom liked it. :) This is a gem of a place and we will definitely be back! If you've never tried Algerian food, hurry to Gusto - it's the real deal. read more

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern eateries have been recently popping up so quickly that the nuances in the cuisines of the countries they represent sometimes gets lost. Everyone expects kebab, hummus and pita. This place felt a bit different because it's uniquely Algerian, not a familiar cuisine to me. I just remember when this space was Turkish Kitchen whose most memorable feature was a rice serving shaped into a pyramid. It was raining buckets when I arrived here. I had already made my order on Uber Eats which prompted me with a complimentary can of Algerian soda. I took a pass since I wasn't familiar with the sugar content or the flavors offered. There were two young guys behind the counter. One was dealing with a trio of disorganized bros who kept changing their minds on what to order. The other server let me know it would be a few minutes before my order was ready. Perhaps noticing my soaked condition, he offered me a complimentary cup of hot mint tea which I truly appreciated. I ordered the $14.99 Chicken Sharma Bowl, an ample bowl of grilled chicken mixed with lettuce diced tomato and onion, and yellow basmati rice, all of it drizzled liberally with tahini sauce (Photo 8). It was a different sort of savory from other schwarma bowls I've had. Quite flavorful with a bit of a welcome crunch in the texture. Complementing the bowl was the $8.99 Homemade Lentil Soup, a rich puréed blend of onion, carrot, celery, potato, and coriander that was the ideal antidote for the rainy day doldrums (Photo 9). I'd definitely come back to try other Algerian specialties like the Merguez Sandwich or the Couscous au Poulet. I believe the combination of unique dishes, exemplary service, and a prime Gourmet Ghetto location bodes well for this low-key eatery. FOOD - 5 stars...unique Algerian dishes provide a savory twist to familiar Mediterranean fare AMBIANCE - 4 stars...spacious...I took my food away SERVICE - 4.5 stars...nice, attentive guys TOTAL - 5 stars...definitely a cuisine worth exploring RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places l've patronized and reviewed: https://yelp.to/lngSnPuHEF read more

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Stopped by for a quick dinner: - Merguez burger - such a great idea, very flavorful. I wish they had an option for a double patty burger though. - chicken shawarma wrap - this was cooked perfectly and the wrapper was very crispy. Came with a garlic dipping sauce. They also have Algerian sodas and we tried the limonade which was very tasty. There are 3 squeeze bottles: - white = cheese sauce, just OK - red = hot sauce, great flavor, not too spicy - yellow = Algerian sauce, tastes like thousand island I really enjoyed mixing the red and yellow bottles! Staff are very friendly and happy to explain everything. read more

Went to eat at gusto's soft opening and I'm glad we did. The food was delicious. We ordered the Joojeh Sultani plate that included a skew of ground beef and a skew of chicken,grilled tomato rice saffron, and a salad. we really enjoyed it. It was delicious. The service was great and the music they played was good to listen to while we dinned in. They did have lots of orders to go, which means the other food is great. I will definitely be back to try again different things on the menu. Place was well decorated and clean. read more

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Got the lamb couscous, merguez sandwich, chicken kabob plate. Everything was delicious and good portions.

The reviews I read on Yelp were largely positive, and I love to check out different types of Mediterranean restaurants. This did not disappoint at all. I understand the place is a little new, but I sure hope this turns into a regular neighborhood joint! read more

The staff and atmosphere is pleasant and friendly. I had the Joojeh Kebob with chicken thigh, grilled tomato, rice, saffron, and salad. I'm picky about my food being not being seasoned enough in that I carry my own seasoning with me. The chicken melted in my mouth and it was delicious. The rice was cooked to perfection and the pita bread and the salad were fresh! I had no need to use my own seasonings. I will definitely return again! read more

Gusto - Joojeh Kabob - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kind and helpful workers. Clean environment. I ate the couscous with lamb and chicken and I felt like I was "home." Soul food, international style. read more

The food was very good, and the customer service was amazing. If you want to try Mediterranean food that's the place to go to. I had Tajin ( olives) and it was amazing. read more

Gusto - The best tajin ever. The customer service was amazing and the food quality is very good. - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

I walked past this place and saw a picture outside of algerian tacos. I spent 3 months in France last year and ate french/algerian tacos literally multiple times a week and I was so excited to see a place here in the US making them as they seem to be really hard to find. While the food was still delicious, I would say it was not at all what I was expecting. It definitely felt and tasted more like a fusion burrito than a french taco. One thing that did disappoint me a bit is that it was $15 and did not come with fries in it or on the side. The flavor was still really good and they had a lot of other cool items on the menu, just wish the tacos were prepared in a bit more of the traditional way that you'd find them abroad (i would definitely be a weekly customer if that were the case). Employees were nice and the food came out quickly so that was nice too. read more

Stoped at GUSTO and got some Algerian Tacos. It was delicious,testy and fresh. I would like to go back and try the couscous. Great service, spotless and a nice décore . Highly recommended. read more

Food was super tasty! To be honest, I came for the merguez sandwich but it was late in the day so they were out. I instead I got the Koobideh Kebob which was really tasty! I definitely recommend! Altho I would prefer lamb over beef, it was still a good substitute. Everyone was super nice and asked specifically how I wanted the meat cooked. Will be back for more. read more

Gusto - Koobideh Kebob - Mediterranean Near Me - Berkeley, California

Outstanding chicken shawarma wrap! Half a sandwich with the included fries was more than enough for lunch. So I had the second half at home for another meal, which made it a really good deal. Nice people, comfortable place. Bonus if you like soccer ("le foot") -- on the big screen was Egypt vs. Cote d'Ivoire... unusual for Americans to see! And I got to speak French (as I like to) with the Algerian gentlemen. I will be back soon to try the couscous! :-) read more

ordered the lamb merguez because I'd never even heard of it--and honestly, this place had already saved me from a post-show McDonald's run after catching a show next door at Spats, so I figured it was all gravy. Holy crap. This was so good. A unique, bold blend of flavors with a couple of skinny sausages tucked into a thin bun that lets the filling do all the heavy lifting. I expected it to be dense and bready, but nope--light, balanced, and incredibly satisfying. These folks know exactly what they're doing. Bonus points for the guy working the counter, who gave me a little impromptu Algerian culture lesson when I asked about the photos around the shop. Super friendly, welcoming vibe. Great find! read more

Some of the best service in Berkeley! Had delicious vegetables and an Algerian carbonated drink.

Came in for the sultani kabob and honestly it did not disappoint -- super juicy, really delicious, no complaints. The owner was welcoming and made the whole experience feel genuine. Amazing food, good energy. Would definitely recommend and I'll be back for sure. 10/10.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

Delicious kababs, outstanding baba ganoush, wonderful flavors. And truly special and attentive service. Highly recommended!

From the perfectly seasoned Merguez sandwich to the attentive service and the warm, inviting atmosphere, every detail of our experience at Gusto restaurant was exceptional.​ read more

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Kind staff, great service, and most importantly delicious food! One order of the kebabs comes with a generous portion of rice and a side salad, so it was really enough for two. read more

Delicious fresh food. Lovely people. Neat clean cozy place. Will visit again. Highly recommend.

Had an algerian taco that was not only delicious but also packed with a lot of meat. Will be back!

Good stuff! ... Being a fan of North Africa's foods and flavors, I deliberately sought out this restaurant after reading a blurb on it in Berkeleyside's food section (maybe their Nosh section?), and seeing the mention of merguez sausage, which is not common in this area (at least in my experience). Normally, when I see shawarma on a menu, I make a beeline for that, but I decided to save that option for another visit down the road, in favor of the sausage, and it did not disappoint :) ... Very flavorful and served with a side order of fries. Very generous portions! If I hadn't skipped lunch, I think I would have taken half my order home. So, come hungry or come with a take-out bag of some sort for your yummy leftovers. For folks who know the area, FYI that this is the space where Turkish Kitchen used to be. The place looks pretty much like before, but currently with smaller tables and maybe less seating overall - perhaps a sign of the times, given many people's preference for delivery or takeout vs. dining inside a restaurant ... but I'm always on the lookout for places in downtown Berkeley where my friends and I can eat either before or after some live music. This is a welcome addition to the downtown Berkeley restaurant scene. Bonus points for folks' upbeat personality, welcoming atmosphere, and the Algerian music they were playing. I thought at one point the music rotation might have included MC Rai (whom I saw a million years ago at San Francisco's Red Poppy Art House), but I could be wrong ;) ... In any case, the music was another nice feature of the place :) read more

This place is amazing. The staff guided me to some wonderful food that I haven't experienced in the area.