Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    John Hinkel Park

    4.3 (20 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Services - John Hinkel Park

    Venue rental

    John Hinkel Park Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - John Hinkel Park

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Montage of images from John Hinkel Park
    Ed U.

    ** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. ** As I've come to discover in this part of the Berkeley Hills, there are a lot of little nook-and-cranny parks that fit into seemingly inconvenient spaces that usually involve a steep hill to scale. Of all of those parks, this one could be the nookiest or maybe the cranniest because you can tell it was designed with a purpose in mind, and sure enough, I later found out John Hinkel was an early 20th-century philanthropist who bequeathed the area to the city. Passionate about theater and architecture, he decided to build an arts-focused clubhouse and an amphitheater in the middle of the four-acre space. The clubhouse was demolished just a few years ago, but the amphitheater is still here as well as an elevated picnic table area and a playground that's been closed due to the pandemic. Otherwise there's a strong "Swiss Family Robinson" vibe with all the wooden guardrails and hillside staircases. Cute spot if you're in the 'hood. RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

    Noemi M.

    Incredible event at the Hinkle Park, The Tempest, a welcoming event at the park with the great performers of Gia!!!!!

    Playground area
    Mary H.

    Review for Sept 2022: - we don't live in Berkeley so we don't know how this park was before the renovation - checked out the playground and walking trails with our 5.5 year old daughter - newly renovated playground area as of Spring or Summer 2022 - lots of natural logs for the swings, climbing area - extremely small parking lot (maybe 4 spaces?). If you can't get a parking space infront of the playground, drive a block or 2 to find street parking. - port-o-potty was there, no other bathrooms - one water fountain up the hill from the new playground - nice amphitheater; I heard they may do plays there? Not sure. - would go there again if we are in the neighborhood.

    John Hinkel Park amphitheater.
    David W.

    This park has been undergoing major improvements for over five years and it is ready for prime time. Come for a short walk in among the oaks, redwoods, and laurel trees, to let your kids play in the brand new playground, picnic, or be entertained in the ancient amphitheater. The neighborhood is quiet and parking is almost always easy with few restrictions.

    JoAnn S.

    A very cool unique hillside park with that is hidden from most non-locals. My friend and I walked through it on our way to another park. Pros: Unique, neighborhood park, small, hidden, amphitheater, water fountains (even for dogs), waterfall after rains, great for meditation, benches, and lots of stairs for stair training. Cons: Not much parking, not the greatest for wheel chairs, no bathrooms, no grass, and no playground equipment.

    The day the club house burned down, 1/16/2015. As you can see from the graffiti on the inside of door, the city was not maintaining it.

    After the city forgot about the park for decades leaving it to decay and slowly become more and more dilapidated, the city has finally re-done it. Why is the play ground in the line of sight for the amphitheater? It does not seem like the city really wants the amphitheater to be used for theater anymore. It would be very distracting to see children on the play ground in one's line of sight while watching a play. It's also disappointing the city did not replace the club house that burned down because it was empty because the city had left it to disrepair. The area needs a community gathering place, though I guess climate change might mean the outside park might be warm enough to gather in the summer, something that never used to be possible.

    Yes it's hard to find!
    Lisa T.

    I love this hidden jewel of a park. SF Shakes was holding its yearly summer camp there and it is a shady, cool, beautiful place to cultivate creativity. http://sfshakes.org/camp/index.html

    Whee! Having never ridden a slide before, I must say that this is the best one ever!
    Josephine S.

    Oh wow. This is a terrible park. Perhaps it was once a jewel nestled in the North Berkeley hills, but today it is a turd nestled in the North Berkeley hills. I admit, having a 2-year-old, I am looking for some specific park features. According to the City of Berkeley website, John Hinkel Park has "play area featuring swings, slides, teeter-totters". This is a stretch as the only feature this park has is a slide (singular) that appears to have been constructed during the Industrial Revolution then subjected to several severe hailstorms. Honestly, I suppose if you've never seen a park before, you might marvel at the "range of recreational opportunities". But even then, I imagine the luster would fade upon the briefest of moment conceptualizing what a park could be. If you're headed there, I'd suggest taking the extra two minutes to go to Dorothy Bolte Park, up the hill. It skews a little on the anitseptic side, but has the benefit of attracting more than teenage pot-smokers (not a metaphor - that was the only other person at John Hinkel).

    Hamlet in the park :)
    Nandita B.

    Low key park in the north Berkeley area. Has a small amphitheater that makes the perfect venue for summer theater in the park. Saw "hamlet" as part of the free play series put up by the "Actors ensemble of Berkeley". Lovely Saturday afternoon spent watching this classic.

    Native Oaks.

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 0
    Love this 17
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Noemi M.
    1165
    426
    6451

    3 years ago

    Helpful 16
    Thanks 3
    Love this 22
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 0
    Love this 21
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Lisa T.
    1009
    1392
    1364

    14 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jana C.
    652
    3294
    14399

    13 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Denise B.
    81
    763
    163

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M M.
    0
    1
    0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - John Hinkel Park

    Review Highlights - John Hinkel Park

    - port-o-potty was there, no other bathrooms - one water fountain up the hill from the new playground - nice amphitheater; I heard they may do plays there?

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Parks 19,989 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    East Bay Regional Park District Rental Facilities

    East Bay Regional Park District Rental Facilities

    4.0
    (1 review)

    My first visit to the Brazil room is going to be a memorable one. My husband and I were able to…read moreget on the reservation list for the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the Brazil Room. Not only was the event, put on by the East Bay Regional Parks District, fun, educational and entertaining, the room itself is quite a room! The hall, which may be small by some standards, feels quite open and spacious with tall lofty ceilings. With a strong Tudor style on the inside and it's large rock fireplace, the rustic yet elegant charm is what draws you in. We were treated to guest speakers, live jazz band, light refreshments, champagne and cake. And since we were one of the first 75 people we received a free book that is fresh off the presses "Tilden Regional Park Queen of the East Bay Regional Parks" by Richard Langs. Not only did Richard entertain and educate us with a brief synopsis of the history of our area, he took the time to sign copies of the books generously given away. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the area's history to pick up a copy (contact EBRP in Oakland and I'm sure they will tell you how to purchase) to understand how, why, when the EBRP district was developed and how it came to be what it is today. Truly Tilden Park is one of those places that causes anyone who has visited to be awestruck and inspired. Going back is not a question but a must-do! California seems to be full of such places, luckily one happens to be in my back yard! I'm looking forward to finding other open events at the Brazil room. The evening function was absolutely delightful. My family will go visit the grounds during the day....just to take a look around and probably have a picnic by the pond. If you want to have your wedding here, be prepared to wait. The list is 2 years out if you want it in the summer on a weekend. "It's popular" is an understatement.

    From the owner: We offer four rental facilities to host your special event including weddings, birthday parties,…read morebusiness meetings, retreats, and memorials. Each facility is in a different park within the East Bay Regional Park District. We have flexible reservation options that range from fully catered events to completely DIY (do-it-yourself) depending on the facility and time block you choose. Tables and chairs are included. **Our Brazilian Room in Tilden Regional Park accommodates up to 150 for a fully seated reception indoors or up to 225 standing room and includes an outdoor patio for ceremonies and/or appetizer hour with a view of the surrounding Tilden Park hills. **Our Temescal Beach House at Lake Temescal accommodates up to 80 for a fully seated reception indoors (56 in the Fireside Room and 24 in the connecting Lakeview Meeting Room) or up to 130 standing room and includes an outdoor patio for ceremonies and/or appetizer hour surrounded by a vertical garden and views of Lake Temescal from inside. **Our Fern Cottage in Kennedy Grove accommodates up to 60 for a fully seated reception indoors or up to 130 standing room and includes a private backyard with covered back deck that overlooks a landscaped lawn and garden. **Our Shoreline Center at the MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline accommodates up to 60 for a fully seated reception indoors or up to 125 standing room and includes a deck with views of the San Leandro Bay and East Bay hills. **Contact us today for a tour!**

    Hillside Club

    Hillside Club

    4.5
    (31 reviews)

    My student organization at Cal had their end of semester banquet at Hillside Club, and we couldn't…read moreask for anything better. Not only is the venue beautiful and spacious, but the organizer is super nice and accommodating. There are high ceilings, great audio, a nice stage, and lots of useful equipment. We pretty much didn't have to decorate at all on our end because when we got there, it was already beautifully adorned with holiday decorations and a huge Christmas tree! For such an amazing venue, it's amazing how inexpensive the total cost was! Aside from the venue itself, the planning involved to secure the venue and set everything up was made incredibly easy by the manager. She was very responsive by email and helpful in suggestions for what can be done with the event. She also owns a super cute doggo that's Instagram famous! All in all, great experience and couldn't ask for more.

    Our youth choir, Kairos, produces a musical theater/opera performance every season. This year, our…read moreusual venue was closed for renovation and we were faced with the need to find a new theater. We knew about the Berkeley Hillside's affinity for classical music, so we thought our program would be a good match. The Hillside Club's manager Araceli was very responsive and informative about their availability, requirements and willingness to accommodate us. Not only did Araceli understand our needs but she was extremely supportive and volunteered to help us with anything we might need in order to offer a highly successful and professional production. We recommend this venue, not only for the amazing architecture and splendid acoustics, but also for the great communication of our hosts; their openness and their flexibility to accommodate our very specific needs. The venue has a beautiful stage, with ample backstage (a green room upstairs and one downstairs - with access to a bathroom) and it is great for small productions such as ours, or small chamber music concerts that they host often. If you do visit the Berkeley Hillside, be sure to make the acquaintance of Bella - the Boston Terrier of the club whom we adopted as our mascot. She is a real drama queen and will definitely brighten your day

    Acme Bar & Company

    Acme Bar & Company

    4.0
    (377 reviews)
    $$

    I'm not sure whether it was the bartender who assisted me that evening, but unfortunately the…read morecustomer service I experienced was very disappointing. I tried to start a friendly conversation and ask a few questions about the drinks, however the responses I received were very brief and limited to only the drink names, which made the interaction feel unwelcoming. I also noticed that we were the only Latino guests there at the time, and throughout our visit we felt largely ignored. As a result, the overall atmosphere did not feel comfortable or inclusive to us. Based on this experience, I did not feel welcomed at this bar in Berkeley and would not recommend it. Even though we live only a few minutes away, it didn't feel like a place worth returning to or spending our time and money at.

    Local iconic cocktail bar with a standout whiskey and mezcal collection. Always enjoy the warm…read moreambience and impeccable service available here. We hosted my wife's 40th Birthday party at Acme for 40+ guests and worked directly with Jennifer (owner) to plan the whole thing. Jennifer did an absolutely knockout job ensuring the party had the best variety of tasty finger foods (including platters of fresh oysters from Monterey Fish Market with champagne to start), a hosted bar with specialty cocktails (Terence's drinks are always ), and incredible staff to keep my wife - and all our guests - incredibly happy. We were able to reserve a cute patio area with private bar and a private large room for our guests. I cannot wait for the next opportunity to host an event here again!

    Juku

    Juku

    5.0
    (3 reviews)

    What a special place for El Cerrito. The wonderful family behind Juku are so sweet and truly care…read moreabout bringing quality service and hospitality to their immediate community. Unfortunately but I guess fortunately there is always work being done in and/or around our streets, and last month I had to frequent somewhere outside of the home work office to go Monday-Friday for consistent internet service. Located across from 711 and next to Jenny K (the cutest local gift shop) and Well Grounded (our local coffee and bagel spot), Juku feels like a comforting sanctuary and home away from home to get work done. If you're looking to have a private conversation or work meeting, they have two private rooms but also comfy digs for open coworking/solo working. What I love most is the feeling upon entering. They offer coffee, sparkling water, packaged snacks, and just overall great community love. It feels like you're going into the office with water cooler talk without going into an office. I noticed a few regulars bringing their meals from home to microwave around lunch time. Most recently I was presenting on a work call and they ensured I had everything needed for me to be successful (and with solid internet!) Check out their website for events like game nights at their beautiful space, and if you're ever in a pinch, (for a fee), they have ya covered!

    My kiddo raved about the ramen he had at this co-working and event space that he went to one year…read moreduring a city camp outing. I checked it out recently for a pop-event I'm planning and found it clean, bright and spacious. It is a nice spot for co-working and they also have a few private rooms that can be used for meetings. Extra points for their complimentary snack bar with refreshments and light nibbles for customers.

    Tarocco

    Tarocco

    4.5
    (94 reviews)
    $$

    5 stars $27.26 for a…read more2 "salad" lunch plus Spanish omelette. Grilled purple cabbage was warm, beautifully charred and seasoned. Potato and radish salad was light, flavorful and really focused on bringing out the ingredients flavors Spanish patata was a hell of a potato omelette creation. Is it a little expensive? Sure. But is every $ on the plate? Yes.

    Whatever you do, do not book an event here. Customer Service is entitled, condescending and rude…read more My daughter was planning a baby shower so we called a number of venues to get a quote. We had been to Tarocco for lunch and figured we would ask them for a quote, too. My daughter warned me that the owner is trying to be an "influencer" on Instagram and posts photos of herself in crop Tops so I should beware, but that's fine by me. We called to get a quote and had a discussion. After we gave the owner all of our information, she told us she wouldn't give us a quote unless we came in person (?!) Which is weird because this isn't how restaurants work. Typically for events restaurants will give you a quote via phone or email for the sake of convenience. We had gotten 3 quotes already from other restaurants via phone. Making us drive 45 mins just to get a quote is a total waste of time. Especially if we can't afford it. So my daughter called again, left a VM explaining we couldn't come in person due to time constraints, and again asked for a quote. No reply. We waited a few days and called again. No reply. Finally we got a voicemail from the owner saying that she didn't like my daughter's attitude ?!!! Apparently you're not allowed to ask this restaurant how much they charge for events unless you're face to face. This lady has absolutely no idea how to run a restaurant. We took our business elsewhere and recommend that you do, too.

    John Hinkel Park - parks - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...