Stunning setting and delicious, farm-fresh food. Server Bella made me feel welcome. Such a professional. Looking forward to my next visit!

Civilized dining in Berkeley. Who knew it existed? I get to say things like this since I was a Berkeley resident for fourteen years. I have to regularly return for business purposes, but then I hurry back to Pinolia as soon as possible. I gave up on fine-dining in the People's Republic a long time ago, and no I'm not a fan of Chez Panisse. If you read my other reviews you can see that I'd rather have a choice in my menu for that much $$$. I lived in the neighborhood of the Berkeley City Club for many years, and yet I never "saw" the building. I've driven by countless times. And yet, there is an architectural marvel right there. Julia Morgan designed the location. You will be awed after walking through the locked front door. The ceiling vaulting is amazing, as well as the general "feel" of the public area. It hearkens back to a more genteel time. The restaurant is located on the second level. DO NOT take the elevator. March your lazy self up the stays and take in every step. They don't make buildings like this anymore. You just might learn something as you gave upon the various details of the staircase, etc. Once you arrive at the dining room, it feels as if you have entered a grand home where you are the special guest. The dining population appeared to all be card-carrying members of the AARP and I LIKE THAT. I didn't spy ONE phone until later in my meal. Even then, it was only for the purpose to snap a quick family photo. Diners here actually look at each other and speak in a conversation. Imagine that! Ok, now for the food... If you don't feel like having a first course, you can opt for a small starter. I had the Cheese of the Day. Of course I did. I love cheese, but it's been losing out to dessert for my last course these days. There were four choices. I had a lovely sheep's milk selection that arrived with just enough fig spread, candied walnuts, and of course, bread. Speaking of the bread, two kinds are served upon request. There was a sour dough and a multi-grain in the basket. The multi-grain made me fall in love with bread all over again. My dining partner had them bring another basket he loved it so much... He had the escargot as his first course. He enjoyed it immensely. I won't comment. Garden pests are not something I consider to be a food item. Just no. For our main courses we had the rack of lamb and the filet. I had some trepidation regarding the lamb since it can be so hit or miss. This time it was a complete hit. It was served with a wasabi crust on a bed of mild sriracha sauce. The accompanying vegetables were giant green beans and a small amount of spinach. No, these weren't the brand "giant" but literally huge green beans without the pods. I thought they were going to taste awful. On the contrary they pushed all of my "I can't believe I'm eating this" buttons. It's like a potato and a bean had a love-child. This is from someone who has mixed feelings about both of those foods. Hat off to Julia's for a veggie dish that I adored! My partner enjoyed his filet as well. I think I was too busy proposing to my plate to pay attention to what was going on across the table... Our desserts were the pineapple creme brulee and something chocolate for me (I can't remember the name). To me all dessert menus break down to "the chocolate" and everything else. I have learned that at new restaurants, if I don't go with "the chocolcate," I'm gonna have a bad time. Whatever they served me was delicious. It wasn't too sweet. I despise chocolate desserts that are tuned for an ultra-sweet palette. My partner said that the creme brulee tasted like it was from scratch, as opposed to out-sourced from a pastry chef some place else/sitting the fridge waiting to be reheated. The service was excellent. It wasn't rushed. We were able to take our time and not have one course arrive before the prior one was finished. Other positive notes about the location: NO KIDS WERE PRESENT. It was amazing. Once again, this is a place for CIVILIZED dining. If you're looking for a place to dine in Berkeley that you haven't been before, go to Julia's. You won't be disappointed. || Parking: There is a lot across the street. The entrance is NOT on Durant. I highly recommend doing a "google street view" walk-around of the area before you drive in. The entrance to the parking lot is on Channing. I'm not sure if they take cards, so bring cash. Of course, public transportation or a car service are usually your best bets when coming to Berkeley anyway. || read more

I won't go into the details of this beautiful historic building, as you can read from other YELPERS, or check out the website, it's impressive and historic. We dined here for, well, my birthday dinner... Happy Birthday to me...blah blah blah. The food and atmosphere was awesome. Wonderful meals, I had the carrot soup, and the rack (two ribs actually, but decent sized) of lamb. Both were excellent and perfectly prepared. But, the service was rather a miss. This is considered formal dining mind you... and the server was a bit odd. He would stand off to the side of the room, and then suddenly RUSH over to get something to a table. Then, go stand around again. Like he couldn't get his timing down. I think we may give Julia's another try sometime, as I did really enjoy the "mini-Hearst castle" feeling of the building, and the food was good. read more

Lunchtime before a performance at nearby Zellerbach Hall turned up a hidden gem in Julia's. The ratatouille, which I am a big fan of and therefore picky about, was seasoned traditionally, the ingredients and consistency were all true to the classic version. I was more than satisfied. The gluten free chickpea panisses (a tower of 3 round chickpea "fries") were a delightful and delicious first, so scrumptious in fact that I quickly found a recipe to make these popular South of France favorites at home. Creme brulee with a generous crust of caramelized sugar topping a creamy custard, another classic and favorite of mine was shamelessly gobbled with gusto with no manners whatsoever. The table service from Natalie was cheerful, discreet and attentive on the Saturday we visited. The ambiance was refined, the dining area dominated by a large framed mirror and carved ceiling. One star is missing from what could have been five due to the rather cool reception from the seating hostess. We found her a tad haughty. We will return undaunted, however. What a special discovery and worth the trip across the bay from Marin. read more

This was my second time coming for lunch. Menu was very much the same as last time. I had the mushroom pate as a starter, very good and then the pasta with kale as my main course. The starter was 5 star but the pasta was underwhelming.Not sure why I would order pasta at a French cuisine focused restaurant but there wasn't anything else on the entree list that enticed me...I think the restaurant would do well to add more variety to the menu. As an aside, their french fries are very tasty as are the mixed nuts. I will be coming again as my friends really like the place and the historic architecture and my husband loved the old world feel. read more

They have a new menu (at least, new to me) that is wonderful. Not a lot of dishes, but we sampled the lamb, duck, fish and vegetarian entrées and all were fantastic. If you are going pre-theatre, give yourself enough time--90 minutes is really minimal, and 1:45 - 2:00 is optimal. Oh, one of our favorite actors served us--so we were helping our local theatre by eating there. read more

Came here before a show at the Greek. What a great find! The food was wonderful, portions were good sized and the service was very good. We started with the cheese course and went for all three options they had that evening. Was really very nicely done and the bread they served with it was just the right portion. We cleared the plate. Then we split the prosciutto salad which was really lovely with the creamy dressing and cherry tomatoes. I then had the beet salad which was fantastic! Loved the presentation and the taste did not disappoint. I would highly recommend if. I had the duck for my main course and it was good. The cherry sauce was nice but the grains took away from the dish a bit. Over all it was tasty though. My friend had the lamb and was very pleased with the choice. For dessert we decided to get both the lemon and the chocolate options. Both were fantastic and I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. The building is historic and was done by Julia Morgan. It was a very nice atmosphere and enjoyed the feeling of going back in time with the furniture and the music. It was a unique place and a good dining experience. I'd recommend it and I would go back. read more

See all

Visited this restaurant for restaurant week, so I tried their special menu. Loved the antique vibe of the restaurant. It was fairly small, which made the space more intimate. Amazing service and delicious food (especially the desserts)! Would highly recommend read more

See all

A mixed bag under the new chef, Fabrice Marcon, who apparently started early 2018 or late 2017. This is a review of a March 2018 dinner which had a special additional Passover menu. Chicken liver starter very good. Beet salad with peppery cress, very nicely executed. Petrale sole in broth was "meh" per Spouse. Duck breast excellent but as usual, an otherwise nice gastrique flooded the plate, overwhelming everything. Wish sauciers would learn LESS IS MORE. Braised brisket was good but much too fatty, even for me (and I love meat fat). Quality of beef was very high, but like most Jewish cooking this was very plain. Was annoyed by excess of whole peppercorns, which should have been in a cheesecloth bag or tea caddy rather than being everywhere to crunch on unpleasantly and unexpectedly. Desserts were very nice: citron tart was lovely, semolina cake with fruit compote was served warm and was delish. Server was clearly new but as always, Julia's staff is well-trained; she did an excellent job and her timing was fine. read more

Amazing food and cocktails, fantastic service, and a uniquely beautiful historic landmark. Huge shoutout to Mark, our server who went absolutely above and beyond to make our first visit a delightful and special experience! read more

Julia's was a pleasant surprise from top to bottom. The atmosphere is enchanting, the staff extremely professional and the food...oh, the food! It was flawless. We started with a smooth and flavorful potato-leek-truffle soup and some divine deliciousness made of beets and goat cheese. Then we moved on to fish (I didn't try it but that plate was cleaned out), Duck confit (juicy and unusual) and beef filet (the safe choice but made to perfection with creamy mashed potatoes). We had to try the desserts because everything was so good. I highly recommend the lemon tart. I have nothing but love in my heart for this meticulously professional and yet unassuming little restaurant. We will all be back! read more

We visited Julia's for Berkeley Restaurant Week. The place is a little hard to find, with no signage in the lobby of the City Club. + Wild Arugula Salad: Not particularly noteworthy. The nuts were minimal, the goat cheese was very mild, and there wasn't much of a dressing. + Butternut Squash Soup: The pumpkin oil was a nice touch, and the apple gave it an interesting spin. + Roasted Petrale Sole: The bouillabaisse jus was excellent, with tons of seafood flavor. The fish wasn't particularly flavorful, but it was tender on the inside and had a nice crisp on top. + Toy Box Mushroom Risotto: The mushrooms were really excellent, a bit smoky with a nice texture halfway between chewy and crunchy. Unfortunately, the risotto had way too much parmesan, and it overwhelmed the flavor, so I ended up eating the mushrooms by themselves to enjoy their flavor. + Vanilla Creme Brulee: This unfortunately did not have that satisfying crack as you put your spoon into it, and the creme itself was overly sweet. I only ate half of it, and my mouth was a bit overwhelmed with sweetness. + Chouquettes Au Chocolat: The chocolate sauce was nice and rich, but the pate a choux left a bit to be desired, lacking in light and fluffy texture. Overall, the ambiance is nice, service is just okay, and food is hit or miss. I definitely wouldn't come back and pay full price outside of restaurant week. read more

See all

Two of us drove from Sonoma County to meet up with our friend that lives in Berkeley. We had reservations for 6pm. I called to ask if we could arrive early as traffic was so light we got to Berkeley in record time. The hostess agreed that we could come in at 5:30. Parking was great, probably due to the Christmas break, so we were able to part in front. We met with the hostess at 5:11 and were told to wait in the bar because the chef likes to "be true to our reservations". I have never heard that line used anywhere before. Only one table in the place had diners however we were still made to wait. I asked for a particular table and the hostess said that it was for three people! Our reservation were for 3 and the 3 of us were standing right there. She couldn't have been more nonsensical. She told me by phone that the corkage was $15 however when the bill came we were charged $18. It may not have been a bait and switch, but probably more hostess incompetence. The food and the service were actually good, and the venue is interesting. I am not sure its worth putting up with the self indulgent attitude. read more

We had a great meal. The food is superb, but I have to say the warm, gracious service by Maria really made the whole evening memorable. Plus what's not to love about being in the City Club! read more

We had a lovely lunch on a Saturday. The food was delicious, the service was attentive, and the historic building is amazing. The prices are reasonable and the restaurant was not crowded for a Saturday lunch. We'll be back! read more

The restaurant is pleasant, comfortable, and able to accommodate a peanut allergy. The food is delicious and fresh. Their kitchen takes substitutions and such when ordering. The prices are high but make sense given the high quality of food the kitchen delivers. The building the restaurant is in is architecturally magnificent and outstanding to look at. I would highly recommend this restaurant to all customers regardless of age. Good for large groups and families, I recommend making a reservation for large parties. read more

See all

Lovely, different, good food, service was not too shabby. It felt a bit stodgy inside the restaurant as the clientele were mostly older (which is ok by me) and it was a little stuffy. The bar area was ok, but felt disjointed. Our cocktails were good as was the duck accompanied by greens. It was a birthday dinner so it was only 3 of us, but everyone seemed happy. The other diners had fish and chicken. The chicken looked quite dry, but our friend enjoyed it with a salad. The fish I thought was good, but the person who ordered it didn't enjoy it much. They complained about the sauce over the light fish. I thought it was great! The deserts were yummy. Our main server seemed overworked and tired. She was a bit grumpy. The other servers were inexperienced, but super kind. Kindness goes a long way with us. The historical building makes for a fun and different dining experience as it feels like you're in a hotel in a different city away from the Bay Area. Like a staycation! I'd recommend this spot for out-of-towners and those who live close to UC Berkeley. I'd go back! read more

Julia's provides an experience along with a meal. You use a buzzer to enter the awesome Berkeley City Club and then are in a fabulous building designed by Julia Morgan (hence the name of the restaurant). You pass the hotel lobby entrance as you ascend a wonderful staircase and then on the second floor you find your cool and old school European style dining room. The high ceilings and wonderful metal and glass windows encourage you to sit back and relax while the attentive (but not ever pushy) staff takes to your drink orders. They have a full bar and smart wine list. Salads are large enough to share and you can not help but feel like you could be there for a nice dinner before an event or spend three hours eating, drinking and feeling like this gem of a restaurant brings Parisian style dining to Berkeley. The main courses which range from duck to steak to halibut make decision making difficult. I had the halibut as did my friends and we were not disappointed. I love French food and someone in their kitchen knows how to cook fish with perfect precision. We were the last guests to leave and the staff made us feel like we were welcome to stay as long as we wanted. This place is as cool as it gets. read more

I've been in this wonder French restaurant with one of my friend, the food is great, great place to have a nice dinner peace and the atmosphere is great! i really love it even though the price is high but i will come back. lol read more

To cut to the last page - This place is fantastic. You need to ring the bell at the door to get into the building. Needless to say much about the design as the the reputation of the designer, Julia Morgen, precedes the restaurant and the building. Beautiful and more important of all it is very quite and there were not many people dining there when we arrived. Besides us there is only two other tables. I am not sure if this is the usual case. Maybe the hidden location of Julia's explains sparse guest and few yelp comments here. We ordered two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts(yup). For the appetizers we had escargot and chicories salad. Not much to say about the healthy salad. Sizzling escargot looks so wonderfully delicious that I forgot my claim that eating snail is morally wrong 10 sec after I told my friend. For entrees I had petrale sole and my friend had roasted duck breast. Fish is usually my favorite and indeed petrale sole was cooked to perfection and flavor was heightened by the sweet spinach under but I had to give it up for the roasted duck breast my friend ordered. I only tried a piece but I wish had them all. Can't miss the duck breast!! For desserts we tried the chocolate ganache bar and panna cotta. Love the panna cotta and of course above all a wonderful night well spent at Julia's. read more

Went to celebrate son's birthday here. Interesting layout as it is nestled inside the "private" Berkeley City Club! Had the quaint nice ambience of an old private club dining hall. Food, however, was just average. We had quite a few dishes including appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Highlights were the cheese plate (great local selection!) and dessert. Rest was just average hence the 3 stars. Table service was very good (although the maitre d' was a bit uppity!) read more

I'm in awe. Friendly yet professional staff Quiet atmosphere but not too stuffy The food is amazing and the price is fair and portions were spot on (I'm a big guy too). I had the duck breast and I can say I've never had anything so delicious in a restaurant. My date had the halibut, it was light and fresh and delicate. For dessert we had the La chocolat, rich but not overpowering chocolate with hazelnuts. I read a review saying the creme brulee was watery, that person is either full of shit or they fixed the issue. Mine was perfect, rich and smooth with a beautiful crust. Delicious. read more

One of the best service we seen in a while. Very attentive waitresses. They must have changed our silverware 4 times!! I dropped my napkin on the floor and they where quick to replace. I was going to just reuse. Very detailed service oriented. Nice duck plate. Delicious marinade and flavor. Steak dish was nicely cooked to perfection. Must make reservation ahead of time. It's an intimate setting and they don't let this place get crowded. A great evening with good company, ambient setting, and delicious dishes. read more

See all

Beautiful venue. Beautiful food. Upon entering the building I thought, "Why does this place remind me of Hearst Castle?"....same architect. Salad, crepe, salmon ( see photos)..it was delicious. I was astounded by the surroundings . read more

See all

Julia's at Berkeley City Club is a hidden gem. Unless you are aware that it is there, it may be overlooked as there is no apparent signage to indicate its existence. Public parking is available at Durant and Telegraph garage. The space Julia's is located in is beautiful with architectural elements that transport you back to that what was popular in the late 20's. The evening I dined there the large Gothic/Moorish style windows were open to let the evening breeze in. The atmosphere is charming. The food was of fresh seasonal ingredients and was delicious. Gluten free bread was available for appetizers and the table. Julia's is one of the few places I have ever been to that ask as to how you would like your fish done. I requested medium rare and it was served a beautiful medium rare. The elegantly plated dishes elevates the dining experience to spectacular. I appreciated that special notations are present on the wine list indicating wine from women owned wineries. Overall, it was an outstanding experience and look forward to returning. read more

A friend's birthday rolled around and because she's so busy, the reservation I'd made in the city (at SPQR!) had to be cancelled. She was available the next Tuesday, but by then it was impossible to get a reservation anywhere in the Oakland area--where she lives. Then I stumbled on Julia. The reviews looked good and I liked the idea it's in an historic beautiful old building. We got there and luckily there's a parking lot next to the building. It's kind of confusing, but we figured out that it's OK to park there, so long as we're at Julia's. When we got to the front of the building, we found out the door is locked! But then we saw that you're supposed to get buzzed in. That was odd, but, oh well. After checking that our parking was OK, we went upstairs to the dining room. The interior is every bit as nice as the reviews said. The dining room has a wonderful Moorish vibe and just felt nice. The server got there and told us her name--I have no problem with that, but some foodies in SF find it annoying--get over it! She was attentive, articulate and competent. The menu had many great choices so we decided on sea scallops and agnolotti for appetizers and then Petrale sole and beef filet for an entree. All of it was fantastic! Perfectly cooked and what's more, it came out very fast. The room was busy with academic looking types (lots of tweed jackets), so that was impressive. Also the bread was brought out quickly and was warm, toasty, and delicious. For deserts, we split a chocolate ganache that was as rich as a lord. Good thing we only split it, because a full order of that would have been just too much. Anyway, a real hidden gem in Berkeley and I plan on taking more friends there! read more

What a find! Who knew such a place existed in Berkeley. Beautifully preserved historic building on Durant, near UC Berkeley, along with wonderfully prepared food. Went for lunch upstairs at Julia's, and it was amazing. Had the Sea Bass with polenta, peas and beans. This dish was phenomenal - rich, well balanced meal; smooth polenta; exquisite fish! Others in our party had the Orchiette with Bolognese and the Pea Risotto, both were delicious. Looking around, the sandwiches were popular choices among other diners, so we will give those a try next time. We shared a dessert, Warm Banana Cake with Rum Raisin Ice Cream, which was just ok, but since the three main dishes were such a hit, I couldn't justify docking a star. They have a lot for club members and hotel guests only, but there is plenty of free two hour parking on Durant just down the block, so no need to rush through your meal by parking in the one hour paid spots across the street from the building. Give this place a try...you won't be disappointed! read more

Had a great time there with another geezer who was holed up in this architectural masterpiece for the last month..joined by a young buck who brought our collective age down to the low 60's..that said the food went downhill in this fantastic time warped dining room for me after the caesar salad (2 Romaine Hearts grain mustard caesar dressing, focaccia croutons, parmesan $12) and the squid app (Grilled Local Calamari white beans, spanish sofrito, cilantro salsa verde $14). My duck (Roasted Duck Breast cranberry beans, rainbow chard, heirloom carrots, duck jus $29) was served as ordered (rare) but virtually tasteless ...the 3 roasted carrots did have taste..they tasted old! the beans & chard were fine. all in all...underwhelming but service quite good! as well as the warm bread...interesting to check out especially with someone who's staying there...20% discount! read more

For special occasions, we have been alternating between Rivoli and Lalime's​ for years, so we were excited to try somewhere new. We visited Julia's last year for my MIL's birthday, and while the food was very good, the service was substandard. The waiter was unable to answer basic questions about dishes and seemed to know nothing about wine. Her mannerism was awkward and nervous. We enjoyed the food and setting (almost worth it to see the Julia Morgan building alone) and so shrugged it off and gave them a try again last night for my daughter's birthday dinner. Big mistake. The service was among the worst I have experienced at a restaurant of that caliber. Here's how it went: My husband and I order glasses of champagne. The waiter recommends a nonalcoholic beverage for my daughter. We also order appetizer, salad, entrees, and a split of wine. Champagne arrives, nothing for my daughter. We want to toast her birthday, so we wait. Appetizer and salad arrive (together), still no beverage for my daughter. Champagne is warming. We flag down our waiter twice to remind her about my daughter's beverage, and it is finally delivered (with apologies for "problems in the bar") over 20 minutes later. A person who seemed to be a bus boy brings the appetizer, a very large serving of pate. Obviously we are going to split it. We need to ask for separate plates. Entrees arrive. No wine. We remind our waiter, who says she "almost forgot about the wine." She brings it and struggles to open the bottle. The wine was a pinot--no chance for it to open up if we want to have it with our food. Because food is cooling and my daughter is hungry, we drink it anyway. It is fine. Empty champagne flutes remain on the table. [Food note: The duck that my husband and daughter ordered was delicious--cooked perfectly to their requests. My petrale sole was ok. Quite bland, with poached asparagus and carrots in a watery sauce.] We finish our entrees and sit with dirty plates in front of us for 15 minutes while our waiter changes tables clothes across the room. She finally returns, clears plates, and takes dessert order. [Food note: The chocolate hazelnut torte was ok. Smear of raspberry sauce beneath it seemed dried on the plate, suggesting it had been plated earlier in the day.] ​The bill comes. We are incorrectly charged for the appetizer. The waiter claimed the price on the menu was wrong. My husband was served and charged for the wrong port on the dessert menu. He ordered the tawny, received the vintage--there seemed to be a language issue. We waived receiving a corrected bill. At this point, we just wanted to leave. This all said, the waiter was friendly and polite, and she did apologize for various things. But overall, the poor service really did spoil the meal. Back to Rivoli and Lalime's for us. read more

Presentation was off the charts, every single course was enjoyable. The staff was so pleasant. I cannot recommend this place more. Atmosphere is what you make of it and our group had an amazing time. Thanks Julia's! read more

Historic surroundings, exquisite food and drink, perfect service ( friendly, too). Haven't been here in a couple years but it is still a Wow in a competitive foodie market. Dress up and come here with your sweetie read more

My husband and I have been to Julia's several times and it has become our "special occasion" restaurant. We have always had wonderful service and fantastic meals and the chef has always been able to work with my gluten & dairy allergies beautifully. To me that is the mark of a really good restaurant...when a chef is able to prepare a delicious and beautiful meal without sacrificing flavor. Last night was our first unsatisfactory experience at Julia's. My husband made a reservation for 6 people to celebrate my 50th birthday. He called ahead to ask if he could bring me a special gluten & dairy free dessert, since most restaurants do not have that option, and was told that it was no problem. Upon arrival, our waiter pulled my husband aside and told him that the chef would not allow my dessert to be served due to liability issues. Strike one...My husband also brought a nice bottle of red wine and asked our waiter to decant it so it could breathe before being served. About 45 minutes later, our waiter brought out the bottle, still corked. Strike 2...Additionally, when our waiter brought bread for the table, he did not offer me GF bread, which is customary at Julia's. I have always been offered GF toast with olive oil on the side. Last night we had to ask for that and it was brought out well after the rest of the table had been enjoying their bread. Strike 3...When our waiter finally took our orders (the service was extremely slow), every dish I inquired about (crab on endive, the filet of sole entree & the green salad) contained dairy and our waiter did not offer other options. I literally had to ask if they could just put a different dressing on the salad...a simple solution that should have been offered to me. My husband and I had to ask our waiter to speak with the chef to see what could be prepared so that I would not have an allergic reaction. And as I said earlier, I have always had wonderful meals at Julia's despite my dietary restrictions. Last night though, I was brought a piece of unseasoned fish (not even salt & pepper) over a bed of unseasoned vegetables. It was incredibly bland and disappointing. I asked our waiter if there was anything he could bring me to add flavor, and he brought herbs pureed with oil. There was still very little flavor. Strike 4...Fortunately the other diners in our party enjoyed their meals, but mine was a complete disappointment. When my dessert was brought out (my husband spoke with someone about the issue that I mentioned earlier), it was frozen, as someone had put it in the restaurant freezer, so I was unable to eat it. So frustrating and, again, disappointing! Last night's experience was like no other that we have had at Julia's and we are sincerely hoping that this was just a very off night. Both the service and my meal were extremely unsatisfactory. Our waiter seemed grumpy and unfriendly and was not at all willing to help navigate my dietary restrictions. He seemed bothered by them. It was such a shame, as this was an expensive special occasion dinner that didn't end up being so special after all. read more

Gorgeous elegant setting. Paid parking around the corner (public cannot park at the Berkeley city club lot). There is a separate handicap accessible entrance. Food and service were excellent. Prices reasonable for the atmosphere and quality of the food. Take time to tour the building designed by Julia Morgan (pioneer architect who designed Hearst Castle). read more

Lovely interior and excellent service. We came for restaurant week and I had the kabocha squash soup (phenomenal), the sole (excellent), and spiced walnut cake (delicious), along with a nice white wine that our server recommended. I don't remember exactly what the boyfriend got, but I know that mine was better all around. I especially remember that the panna cotta was not to my liking, since it had a very strong milk flavor. I very much enjoyed my own meal, and would highly recommend Julia's if you ever need a romantic spot for a date. read more

One of my worst dining experiences in terms of service. Immediately upon arriving the hostess was nowhere to be found. After waiting for a while to get seated, the hostess shows up ten minutes after our reservation time and very rudely asks us what we're here for. Basically felt like we were not supposed to be there, and definitely felt unwelcome. We finally get to the table and wait forever for just water after asking twice. Our server seemed like she could barely understand what I was asking for. I kept looking over for her to ask for water, a missing knife, the bill, and she was always in the corner talking to the hostess while I'm waiting to get service. When she wasn't there, she looked like she was rushing around for no reason even though the restaurant was half empty. I waited again to order dessert, but it took so long to get service that we just decided to get the check and leave. It's a shame this beautiful restaurant has such terrible service. The food was amazing, though, which is the only reason I'm giving two stars. read more

We made a last minute reservation for a date night dinner on a Friday night. We were promptly seated when arrived. Both of us ordered lamb chops that were delicious. What impressed us the most was the side vegetables which included English peas, asparagus, water chestnut. And it was fresh and perfectly cooked! We shared a chocolate ganache torte with olive oil ice cream with a glass of 20-year tawny port, it was quite incredible and I would definitely go back just to have the same dessert again, all by myself! How can one not like a historical building that was so beautifully designed by Julia Morgan. We can't wait to go back! read more

Julia's Restaurant - Chocolate ganache torte with olive oil ice cream at Julia's - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Before seeing a performance of Shen Yuan at Zellerbach, we made reservations for an early dinner at Julia's inside the Berkeley City Club. It's known as Julia Morgan's "Little Castle" as she designed and constructed this six story landmarked building which opened in 1930. The dining room is elegant with high ceilings, leaded glass windows, large floral arrangements, a big fireplace (it was not lit on our evening), soft lighting and white tablecloths. Our server, Saren, was lovely and efficient, kindly explaining the preparation of the dishes. My herring appetizer was unique, beautiful, and scrumptious as was my duck entrée. My husband had the winter squash soup and homemade pasta. We gave our compliments to the chef along with 1/2 bottle of wine as we were so pleased with our meal. If you are looking for a romantic, quiet dining experience where you can dress up a bit and actually have a conversation with your dinner partners, book a table at Julia's. Although every table was filled, the room still felt serene and upscale. read more

See all

We are new to this neighborhood and found Julia's because we were going out without a reservation. As is so often the case, this place was an amazing unexpected gem. It's located in the historic Berkeley City Club and "Julia's" refers to Julia Morgan the famous Bay Area architect. So the history and vibe is super old and musty. The Club itself is an amazing building and it literally feels like you stepped into the 1940's. Julia's is the small, intimate French restaurant on the second floor. Super food--very French. I had the pork dish which was amazing. Also the asparagus salad and the beet salad both rocked. Super great service too. If you like small old timey French in a historic vibe this is a winner. read more

My bff wanted a fancy French dinner so after reading lots of Yelp reviews we decided on Julias and it was amazing! As we walked in we felt like members of an exclusive club and in on a wonderful secret....it is old school glam/charm yet it's quaint and warm and the staff was very welcoming. The chicken liver terrine melts in your mouth and my steak was perfectly cooked. My friend really enjoyed the duck breast but we both agreed the steak was the star and so was the wine..we will be back! read more

Julia's Restaurant - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is one of those places that the same clientele has been attending for years and is ok with their complacencies about how they think food should be prepared and enjoyed. When their older user base of customers stops attending, this restaurant will be nothing but a distant memory and thankfully so. For anyone wanting to attend this eatery for the first time, let me spare you the time and money. First let me explain that if you are interested in the decor and ambiance of your dining experience, then this establishment is up to par for that part of your pleasure. The old school Tudor architecture and vastness of the dining room was quite a surprise and entertaining, the food however destroyed any and all pleasantries that the visual experience might have led you to believe otherwise. The appetizers ordered were a chicken Pâté and Herring plate both of which were visually unappealing upon delivery. Engaging in each of these dreary food mashups it was immediately apparent the rest of the dining experience was going to be similar in nature. Most of, if not all, the items on the plates looked to be canned or prepackaged in nature and were either too vinegary or salty to be enjoyed without washing down every bite with at least 3 gulps of water per mouthful. Onto the main courses we were, my wife and I, dreading the next steps needed to take the end the night graciously. Upon us came the Pork Loin and Red Snapper for the mains. I looked down at my wife's dining choice and told her "good luck with that" only to then bow my head into what one would a consider "a waste of time to even bother with" to put it mildly. Again we were welcomed with what I can only say in simple terms as being one of the blandest, color impaired and visually challenged assortments of food items ever assembled on a plate. I was personally greeted again by overly salted prepackaged looking vegetables and a sauce that would keep me drinking plenty of fluids well into the next day. My wife's choice was not much better with her asking me "why are these mushrooms so dark? do they look canned to you?" while I shockingly shook my head to the sides in disgust while mouthing yes. Needless to say we passed on desert in fear of it being any resemblance to the rest of the experience. I did jokingly say to my wife however "well maybe dessert is ok if it's store bought" however we did not partake. We will both not be attending this food establishment ever again as it was probably one of the worse dining experiences we've ever had in the area. And as far as it being French in nature? If you are in the area and French and are considering this establishment, please don't hold the people of the Bay Area accountable for this embarrassment, just the owners and Chef responsible at Julia's. read more