We were seated quickly on Saturday afternoon. Waitress wasn't great with English so it was hard to get answers to our questions. The spinach dip with chips was superb. We even had chips left after eating all the dip, how often does that happen? The steak salad was done perfectly. Would have been nice to have a side plate to cut the meat but we figured it out. The El Gordito Pizza had a great crust and very tasty sauce, just right amount of ingredients. Held up nicely when picked up. Soft drink selection was ok. Really liked the brewery list for beers but come on, know which beer it is from each brewery. How many Hazy IPA does Ghost Town make or West Coast IPA does Original Pattern brew? Asked the waitress to check the keg and she came back and said it was an India Pale Ale. Slap my head! Overall, a very solid experience. read more

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I wanted to like this place more than I did. The atmosphere is genuinely nice, the service was friendly, and the food itself looked great and tasted good. My chilaquiles were solid, and while the mole wasn't my favorite style, it had a good kick and was clearly well made. The issue for me is the price. I ended up paying over $30 for an appetizer, chilaquiles, and water, and that just didn't feel like a good value for what I got. This street has a lot of excellent options, including some true five-star spots at similar prices and others that are just better priced for everyday meals. When I'm spending that much for brunch-level food, I expect something that really knocks it out of the park, and this didn't quite get there. Nothing was bad. It was a pleasant experience. I just don't see myself going back given the cost and the competition nearby. If price isn't a concern, you might enjoy it more than I did. For me, it's a solid but expensive meal in a neighborhood with a lot of strong alternatives. read more

In The Wood - Yummy - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Horrible service. Waitress was rude. Waited for 40 mins to get our food. We had a party of 6 (only ordered 5 entries, 2 of which were salads) and the restaurant was hardly full. Menu states gluten free buns but was rudely told NO, we don't... zero apologies or accommodations. One of our plates was sitting under a warmer forever while the entries were being made and came out cold. Got the bill and saw a 25% gratuity was added for our "large party"?' Of 5 entries? Average food at best but horrible service will not be seeing us again. read more

Went here for my daughter's bday because she wanted pizza. Pizza was pretty good though extremely goopy and a little underdone. I had a chicken Caesar salad that was so, so bad guys. Waitstaff were nice but dropped a million things on the floor and it's very loud. One of the pizzas took about 10 min longer to come out so we were halfway through eating when my son's arrived. I rarely write negative reviews but this was a pretty bad experience. read more

Showed up looking for a new place to try out, ended up eating dinner here. Friendly staff, interesting selection of beers, great sangria we loved it. The wings were amazing, Mac and cheese was unique. Quite delicious. The calamari was cool. They have enough screens, but it is casual enough since not everyone is there for the sports. Definitely recommend 5/5 read more

In The Wood - Calamari, Mac and Cheese - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Everything about our visit here was great! The service was so good. We had the sweetest waitress who knew her menu! I can always appreciate that about a waitress. It's like know your craft! And boy did she know it! The place was pretty empty but it totally strikes me as the type of place that packed in the evenings not at 2:00 in the afternoon! So we were actually happy to have the place to ourselves. We had wings and the chicken sandwich and all of it... I do mean all of it was so good! I was starving and forgot to take pics of the food so my apologies but just know it's good! Give them a try for yourself! Cute vibes! Cute spot! 10 out of 10! read more

In The Wood - View from the best table in the house! - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

The Wife and I stopped in here after a movie, feeling indecisive. Fortunately, this was the right choice, since they have a nice varied menu for a gastro pub. The Warriors were playing (and winning) over the bar, so it was a happy atmosphere. The service was fast and friendly. The Wife ordered a wood fired margarita pizza, while I had a beyond burger. Both were great, especially the pizza. She only got through half - we could have easily shared it. It's a narrow space on College Ave, but opens up nicely once you step inside. Which I recommend you do. read more

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Very disappointed about the chilaquiles I order with red sauce and they gave me mole. I asked for 6oz ribeye steak and they charged me for 12oz not even asking me first. Never coming back here...... read more

Was shopping in Berkeley this afternoon and looking for a good lunch place. Checked Yelp for a restaurant, and In the Wood Bar & Grill had a 4.0 and was right across the street. We ate on the patio, which was pretty noisy at first but soon quieted down as the tables emptied. There was no wait for a table at 1 pm on a Saturday. I had the salmon tacos, hold the jalapeños and mango, and it was wonderful. The salmon was grilled to perfection and topped with cabbage and avocado slices. It was listed as a small plate, but I could barely finish it. My sister had the In the Wood burger, which was huge and had smoked Gouda and bacon and caramelized onion jam on it. She said it was very good. I stole a few of her fries and they were delicious. Service was excellent. Highly recommend In the Wood. read more

In The Wood - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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overpriced but decent. my friends got the macncheese and fries and I got a brownie for dessert. service was good but the food wasn't really great enough to justify the prices. I don't see myself coming back. read more

In The Wood - brownie - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great food and good service! The pizza was great, and the lamb burger was excellent! I also tried my friend's summer veggie pizza, and it was amazing! They also had all you can eat tacos on the patio, but we didn't realize until it was too late! I'll definitely be back for them though! read more

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Doing its job as a Gastropub. The brews had the place smelling good. The self serve water... not knocking that it's obviously tap, or appears that way. These bottles aren't that expensive. And there's Amazon. Replace the caps... and talk to that server that worked 6.28.25 between 6p and 7p. he touched every surface that's supposed to touch a mouth. From silverware to the tops of cups. He bussed tables and never changed his gloves. Speaking of tables. He should make sure he's keeping the wedges in place under the tables. It wobbled none stop. The Shroom was a complete fail. There were barely any mushrooms to call it a mushroom pizza. I was hoping for at least two variations of shroom. But I feel like I was met with room temp poorly salted canned grade mushroom. Some good onion and a premature sauce. If you know pizza, you know sauce. And they cooked theirs that morning. The toppings slid off like a mudslide and the pizza was strait mush almost to the crust. The Instagram ad and what I got was crazy insane. Taking Kid Cudi Day and Night. The Benito. Excellent. But, the peaches didn't looked fresh. Maybe don't let these sit without juice. A few more chunks of chicken and less arugula. How ever nod to the arugula it absolutely pulled each element together. I fully recommend for drinks. The Elmwood Sour was amazing. Be a kid for a second and get some poor sips through that cinnamon stick. Elevated the drink to a whole new height when sick through that bark. My goodness!!!! So delicious until my wife knocked it out the cup. read more

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It's alright for a pub, but wasn't wild about anything. From the food to the drinks and the atmosphere. I might go back, but it's lacking something that is enticing. read more

I came here for a catch up lunch with a friend, while I was visiting from Los Angeles. This is the part of Berkeley where parking can be really tough, and prepare to pay, as it's only metered parking. The restaurant itself is dark on the inside and the service was decent. There weren't many folks when I arrived but it was pretty full when we left. The food itself was surprisingly good with great portions. I had enough left to take home for dinner. I thought the prices were solid for the portion size. All in all, it's a good lunch choice, if you're in the area. read more

In The Wood - Chicken sandwich and fries - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finally got a chance to try the food and greatly impressed. Ordered the BBQ wings, the Salmon Tacos and Truffle fries. All were very tasty. Can't wait to try the other items on the menu. read more

In The Wood - Salmon Tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

food was amazing, the chicken and waffles was crispy, french toast was delicious and the burger was so juicy, the customer service was amazing as well the food was so good I had to go up and personally thank the chef! read more

In The Wood - chicken and waffles, in the wood burger, french toast, baja tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

We ate here today. It okay but not great. I had the waffle with chicken wings and my husband had salmon tacos. Although the place wasn't busy, service was very slow. Our server, a stocky Asian woman, was surly. She mumbled in answer to questions, was hard to understand and never returned to our table to make sure everything was okay. When she finally brought our food, she left out the whipped cream. I said, "Excuse me, but the menu says this is supposed to come with whipped cream." Normally I'd expect a waitress to say, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll get that for you right away." Instead her response was, "If you want whipped cream, just ask and I'll get you some " She came back with a tiny container of it. My husband had salmon tacos which he liked, althoug they were small (the menu described them as large.) I had the waffle with chicken wings. The menu says it comes with 5 jumbo wings, but there were only two--four pieces, each of which was half of a wing. They were delicious, though. The waffle was disappointing. I thought it be homemade, but it was a mushy, undercooked toaster waffle. It did have some nice fruit with it, though. All in all, I wouldn't be in a hurry to come back here. I was surprised to get such poor service in a restaurant that was mostly empty. read more

Cute little spot. They did not have enough waiters the day we went and we waited quite a bit. But it was nice to be outside to soak in the sun while eating. I really enjoyed the chilaquiles with the steak. The steak was quite perfect. I don't particularly like mole so the mole chilaquiles was not my thing. I think just the reg chilaquiles w chorizo prob would've done the trick. But the red chilaquiles were beyond amazing. My husband doesn't really like chilaquiles, but he found himself wanting more. His brandy French toast were delicious and left your mouth watering. We were hoping we had enough to bring home, but we finished it. Overall, I would go back and try more items. The truffle fries sound beyond! read more

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Came here for Valentines with a friend. We've been wanting to stop by this place and happened to be in the neighborhood. It wasn't terribly busy and we were seated right away. We ordered the mimosa flight, which I HIGHLY reccomend sharing, as we each got our own and it was a bit much. The chicken and waffles plate was very good, the chicken was well seasoned, juicy and tender (a bit spicy) and the waffles were not too sweet. The French toast was light and perfect for an easy brunch item. We will definitely be coming back! read more

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If I were given an option for my last meal, there'd be no doubt In The Wood's macaroni and cheese with bacon would be my main course. 4/5 on the The New Benito, only because I'd prefer more peaches, personally. Atmosphere, service, surprisingly quick! Just overall YUM and awesome random stop on our four hour car ride back inland. read more

In The Wood - The New Benito, Mac and cheese with bacon - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

We came here on Valentines day for an impromptu date night. We ordered a couple burgers. I ordered the 'Woods Burger' medium. It was surprisingly good. My wife got a standard classic. It was also good. Nothing amazing here. Bit of a greasy mess, but okay. The fires were a letdown. Very salty and just warmer than room temp. Nothing I'd argue about, but at $19 per plate... that was disappointing. The staff were really overworked. Every table was taken, but they managed alright. They left us alone for most of the meal, as they were too caught up with other folks, but that can be nice on a date, don't need to be checked in on all the time. Would have been a different situation had I liked my drink more. As it was, it was fine. The place is pretty tight, but it's clean and bright. Nothing to cute or artsy about it. Just a regular restaurant. TL;DR: Pretty good burgers. read more

In The Wood - Couple of burgers - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Recently just discovered in the wood this week while searching for a good local restaurant for a special occasion. I was immediately drawn in by the incredibly delicious aroma of freshly made street tacos being grilled on their outdoor patio. Apparently they do a special taco Tuesday event every week and it was really outstanding! This place literally checked all of the boxes! Great atmosphere, great service, and great food! We ordered the fried calamari, a woodfired, oven pizza, a seared Aji salad, a burger, and a couple of delicious cocktails. Everything was outstanding! This is definitely a location that I am going to come back to you again and again no question. The owner of the restaurant, Richard, even walked around from table to table to personally talk with everyone and asked for their feedback. I usually don't write reviews for restaurants unless I really really really enjoyed it at this was absolutely no exception. Highly recommended! 100%! read more

comfort go to place for after class meals. Cosy place, fresh food, easy on wallet. Taco Tuesdays on patio are hit with our group read more

Service was incredibly friendly and our server was very knowledgeable about the different local beers on tap. Everything we ordered arrived quickly and was seasoned perfectly read more

This place is def in the woods. It might be considered a hole-in-the-wall type restaurant by some. The service was good and the hamburger was a real meat hamburger. The patty was one of those thick ones too. We enjoyed the meal and will be back for the Sunday buffet one day! read more

The calamari was over cooked which made it chewy. The buffalo wings were mid but the "ranch" dip was sweet The truffle fries were burnt and cold. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and that was good. But that was the only thing that tasted good. I spent $76 and some change and ended up giving the rest of the food to the homeless. Hope they enjoyed it because I definitely did not. I won't be ordering anything but pizza IF I go back. AND the wood fire oven wasn't even on and I went in around 630. Thought that g thang was supposed to be burning bright and make the place nice and warm. Nope. Service was mid. 2 stars only cuz the pizza was good. read more

In The Wood - The calamari. - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Decent food and beer, but the service was not good. The server/host seemed rude and rushed. Very snappy. No eye contact, no warmth. It was hot out and there was no shade where I was sitting and she told me I could move the umbrella myself. Isn't that their job? Food was late because there was a big table. A nice place to hang out but not at all welcoming. I'll try one more time... :) read more

I rarely write Yelp reviews, but I want to shout out the great customer experience. It started with responsive phone calls when trying to set up a party for 10-15. They graciously expanded the reservation to 17 as the event grew. Each person on the phone seemed sincerely interested in helping--thanks Bree and Nick. I often can't get past the AI assistant when calling these days. Then the manager texted me to respond to questions. We preordered because we were tight on time and everything came out quickly. The atmosphere was friendly and the food was tasty. The service was responsive. It was the ideal place to celebrate our special event. Thanks so much! read more

Super unassuming restaurant with great food, service, and drinks! Our server was awesome (dirty blonde hair, cute lipstick). She was always around the corner if we needed anything. We had the salmon sandwich, caesar salad with salmon, and garlic fries on the side. To drink, we had a lemonade and a double mimosa. The salmon sandwich was great - down to the side salad! The caesar salad was perfectly dressed and the garlic fries were the an even mix of crispy, salty, and garlicky. So good! The lemonade was standard and the double mimosa was a knock out (literally made me a little sleepy) lol In The Woods is such a nice, casual spot with a cool outdoor space. Perfect spot on College to cut through the monotony of bakeries and cafes. Overall, would I come back? Absolutely! Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes! read more

Great local establishment with an engaged owner and attentive servers which makes it feel like your "local" place. I've never written a review before but this is the type of place that you should give your business to. Great selection of Food/drinks to please most groups....very much worth a shot. read more

I returned here after a year as my partner wanted to try. I remember the pizza being very well done and unique, so we went for dinner and were immediately seated. We sat in a corner and it had nice dim lighting and pub vibes. Our waiter was very inviting and gave us recommendations. The spinach and beet salad was very refreshing. I enjoyed the goat cheese and vinaigrette. We also wanted to get truffle fries, but the fish and chips came with fries already. Our waiter was so kind and said they could substitute our normal fries with truffle fries! The fish was so crispy and soft, but just a bit oily for my liking. The truffle fries were indulgent and my partner finished them so quickly. I loved the El Nando pizza. The pairing with burrata cheese and prosciutto was so perfect, and the pesto as a base was my favorite. The crust was so thin and crispy, it was one of the most memorable pizzas I have ever had. I really enjoyed my time here again, and I will come back to try more pizzas! read more

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Decor was super cute, warm ambiance. Customer service was good. Waitresses serving us were extremely attentive, they even gave us free tacos. Food came out quick. Mac and cheese was tasty. However the entrees weren't the best. I got a crispy chicken sandwich it was incredibly greasy yet dry. The fries were overcooked. Someone else got a Wood Burger and it was also greasy, the meat tasted different didn't taste like beef, had a mushy texture. If we were to go again we'd get the tacos or mac and cheese. read more

This is one of my favorite places to go when visiting Berkeley! Fantastic service, full bar and great menu with unique dishes.

My girlfriend is a PhD student at UC Berkeley and has been a regular at In The Wood 4-5 times per week for roughly a year and a half. I join her when I fly in from out of town, and together we've consistently supported the business.... typically two beers per visit and food from time to time. The beer selection is good, but the wood fired pizza is below average, and service has consistently been slow and inattentive. Ordering a second drink can feel like pulling teeth, beers often arrive not fully poured with a noticeable amount missing from the top of the glass and glasses have been cleared prematurely while there was still plenty of beer left in them. A long time ago, she asked whether there was any student or frequent local discount given how often she supports the business and was told "sorry no". For context, in Berkeley a restaurant typically pays around $1.20-$1.80 wholesale per pint and sells it for $6-$10+, generating roughly $4-$7 in gross profit per pint (about 75-80% gross margin). I understand net profit accounts for labor, rent, and overhead...., but when service is inconsistent, being confronted about tipping after over a year of loyal business (roughly 34-43 pints per month, plus food) reflects poor business judgment. That conversation cost you a consistent customer, Richard. read more

I really enjoyed the food here, there is plenty of variety, and the staff are amazing and very friendly. The ambiance is relaxing and refreshing. read more

Really enjoyed my dinner at In The Wood, the food was flavorful and felt fresh, and the atmosphere was cozy without being too loud. The staff were friendly and gave great recommendations. It read more

Located in a peaceful street in Elmwood/South Berkeley with a small-town feel, In the Wood is a great classic bistro-style restaurant that's a rarity in a bustling college town. I've tried their spinach artichoke toast, avocado toast, lox bagel, garlic fries, ceviche, and salmon sandwich and my favorite by FAR is the salmon sandwich. Perfectly cooked salmon on ciabatta bread with an amazing aioli sauce. Personally, it's the only menu item I would go back for. Most menu items come with a side salad and the portions are solid. While I admit that it's not a place that you would go out of your way to visit, I would recommend to any Berkeley student who wants to temporarily escape Southside and take a relaxing stroll down a sunny street after a filling American lunch. read more

In The Wood - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The atmosphere had a chill vibe, customer service was good, food was great, and the drinks were awesome. read more

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Truly disappointing. After waiting 30+ mins for our food the salmon came out COLD... Pizza followed shortly (steaming hot) but rated a C-. Goopy cheese, no charred crust. Overall, slow service, and check automatically added a "large party" tip which was somewhat irritating. Wish the rating could have been better but definitely some clear spots to improve. read more

Anna the server overcharged $1.50 for a ginger beer and stated that The "boss" had raised the price. She refused to provided a copy of charge card crediting her mistake and stated that she deleted the original charge. She stated " oh my god" when I asked for a copy of the original charge and told me to leave the restaurant. Fish and Chips were undercooked - fish was worse than something from the frozen section of the grocery store. read more