Anyone who doesn't like Kip's, doesn't get Berkeley. Great pizza and cold beer. If you don't like it, put on your white gloves and go to the Claremont. A review by a student from the long ago good old days. read more

11.20.10 Mid third quarter of the Big Game 2010. I needed to drown my sorrows in pitchers of beer. Tried Henry's. Beyond packed. Walked down the street. Come back to Kip's. Oh, fond memories. Freshman year of college, I took a Simpsons decal here. We sit down, eat, drink, watch cartoons, and discuss. Easiest unit earned. Flash forward. It's gotten a lot more popular now that Sun Hong Kong is combined. Still weird for me to see Chinese food at a bar, but whatever floats Cal's boat. read more

Had so much fun here! We got there by 9:45 so we beat the line. Good dancing started at about 10:30. It got fairly crowded by the end, but the dance floor was never too packed. Sadly, they only serve fake Fireball. Boo. read more

Kips is not and will never be a contemporary or particularly special drinking experience. What it does offer, other than dim lighting, is a space to live out all of your stereotypical college experiences (even the ones you may not remember). Kip's is part of the triangle of bars on Telegraph and Durant, and of that triangle it's also coincidentally my least favorite. Nevertheless, every Friday me and my friends explicably end up here splitting a fishbowl or taking a chance on the random drink wheel for God knows why. Drinks: the drinks range from terrible to surprisingly good (as most bars in the area do). The bartenders are far from consistent so it's important to scope out the right one to make sure your drink is not overly watered down (and maybe more importantly not overly generous). Me and my friends have found that sharing the pink fishbowl (which is essentially a large tequila sunrise) is the most economic and enjoyable way to spend the night. The drink is pretty good and the novelty of getting your instagram pics with your friends just adds to the fun. The bowl gets the job done and where else in the area can you do this? If hard alcohol isn't your thing they have a generous selection of beers, but compared to the other local options you'll generally be paying more for the same thing. Food: I think they have the best Taco tuesday option in the area, the fish tacos are actually really tasty and more generous than what you can get at Cafe D and Pappy's. Also the fries are a lifesaver after a night of drinking (although not the tastiest, it's nice to get something in your system after dancing and drinking the night away) So: if you're like most of the 21+ crowd in Berkeley you've likely already visited this establishment. If you're on the fence go pop in any classic college DVD and make sure you want to live or relive that experience. If the answer is "yes" grab your coat and head to Kip's. If the answer is "no" do yourself a favor and join me at Jupiter's or Remy's for a tastier experience. Til next time, keep learning keep eating (the student foodie) read more

Kip's - Red fish bowl! - Burgers Near Me - Berkeley, California

Kips Incorporated, K-I-P-S Wait, that's the theme from Kids Incoprated minorly tweeked so I could start what's going to be a brief, brutal and highly focused piece of hatred with a bit of comedy. To the review! This place is ass. I mean, fully completely ass. It's awful, with bad service, drinks that seem like they're made by people who were only told what the drinks might be like and the music...I won't say anything about that because I've lost my thesaurus and don't know enough synanyms for craptarded. The worst part: it smells. The last time I went (dragged by a friend who swears by the place) I had to bail because it was giving me a headache. I dunno what it is (perhaps pure evil seeping up through the crachs in the dance floor?) but it reeks. read more

Is it fancy? no. Is is wonderful? yes. It's a college bar, so don't go there with any other expectations. But if you're looking to see a sorority girl do a blowjob shot on her 21st, there's no better place. read more

Why four stars for Kip's? I went on a Saturday night. It was crowded. But I loved the different vibes from different rooms. There are tables and chairs, then a crowded bar, then pool tables, and a small dancing floor. Good for groups who want to do different things! My buddy ordered me a Long Island, and wow, it was way strong. All of us drank about a quarter of our drinks before asking for more coke. It was that strong. But hey, some would say that's a good thing. It's a little pricey, and crowded, but I like having the option to dance, talk, or sit. So thanks for that Kip's. read more

I want to give a major shout out and kudos to Max as well as our amazing bartenders!! Excellent service, they kept my best friend and myself in good company when we sang for karaoke night They greatly contributed to an awesome 21st birthday for me with my best friend taking me here I was given a great suggestion for a first drink and a lovely birthday recognition Great ambiance, music choice and mood lighting for an enjoyable night read more

bar s'ok. i really don't understand the one and only toilet in the men's restroom. why does it have no door, and why does the wall not cover more of the toilet. cannot poop here. prices are decent i suppose. friend said it's cheaper to buy beer by the glass than pint, so keep that in mind. read more

There are good dive bars and there are bad dive bars. Cheap pitchers of PBR can almost make a bad dive bar into a good dive bar. Almost. read more

I must have came to Kips last time when it was a slow day because when I went last Saturday night for one of the stops for my friend's 21st birthday.... man was it packed. I dont know if its because I'm getting OLD or what but when I walked in, I just got ANNOYED and wanted to go home right then. I shoulda known when I saw some guy rolling down the stairs trying to start a fight, almost falling on my girlfriends. Inside, it is so HOT and STUFFY, CROWDED, STICKY. I would forgive them if the drinks were actually good. My friend ordered a round of cocktails for people but you can taste the cheap liquor in it. I couldnt even finish it. Stick to shots so you know what's going in it. Don't bother here except for going to get your free birthday drink and leaving pronto. read more

This really is where all the 21+ Berkeley frat/sorority kids come when they want to go out drinking. I recommend coming here if you want to have a couple cheap drinks to get you going before heading out to better drinking facilities. However, they do have a couple decent mixed drinks that are both cheaper and better tasting than any mixed drink at Pappy's down the street. However the entire vibe really turned me off. Lots of crowds, no where to sit, and everything seemed just a little bit too dirty. And on top of that, there is only one bathroom per gender so if you are a girl just be prepared to wait in line forever. The best part about drinking at Kips is that their kitchen stays open late to accommodate all of the drunk kids who want a snack. Just a warning: the bouncer at the door checking ID's is really good at what he does. I haven't seen him take away any ID's just yet, but he is pretty good at spotting fakes/your friend's ID and has turned many people away. read more

I ordered takeout from Kips the other night and it was just very average. I got a grilled cheese sandwich and tater tots. The grilled cheese was very underwhelming.. Not cooked well enough and had way too much cheese. The tater tots were not as crispy as I had hoped. Probably won't order food from here ever again, but it wasn't terrible. It was just food. Nothing special about it. read more

Kips be lit! Security there is the best lalo max chin gus. Best spot in Berkeley good environment and food is good 2. The music is good and it feels safe when you are in there. Really enjoy every night I spend at kips. Try the chicken wings too hella good read more

My favorite bar in Berkeley. Honestly, f*ck Pappy's weak ass drinks and food. Kip's has great bartenders, drinks, and food. Wing Wednesday is where it's at. And their fries are so good. I love Kip's!! read more

I remember that this bar had: - bad drinks - no personality (and nasty bathrooms) - photohunt with the naked ladies (a.k.a. the best drunk game ever!) - an awkward dance party in the back - lame boys with hilarious pick-up lines (e.g. "Hi there. Wanna feel my bicep?") Despite all those negative points, I did have some good times here so I'd feel bad only giving it 1 star but I definitely don't care to return. read more

I don't know why, but people (underage greeks) love this bar! It's dirty and stinky and poorly planned out. Also, I have flashbacks to the Rhode Island nightclub fire as the place has a kitchen with wood planneling, and the only door is a tiny stairwell. Go at your own risk.... read more

The stereotypical college dive for a nerd college. Cheap drinks specials, especially on Thursday night. check. Crowded with tipsy college pseudonerds looking for an academic release. check. (mainly Thursday nights) Dance floor just in case you got the groove itch. check. Filler greasy food (ie. cheesy fries). check. Nastified bathrooms only suitable for going #1 and the unavoidable #3's. check. If you want some cheap pre-partying before heading out to your bourgie club, this isn't a bad option. They also have TVs up for any big games you want to watch. read more

I liked this place mainly because the bartender was cool. She took a long time getting my beer so she said it was on the house. They also have a juke box with some great music in it so that is a definite plus. I also like the atmosphere of the place. It kind of reminded me a little of a Mexico bar in Rocky Point ....random I know. I plan on coming again and spending more time here to get a better feel of the place. From what I experienced, it's a cool place to go. read more

Really confused on the hate for Kip's. Maybe it's a different vibe for Cal students? I've been here twice for during the Happy Hour chinese/american menu. A restaurant that has both is quite interesting. Out meal was less than $20 bucks and this was with lots of to go... So no horror stories here. Just cheap and quick eats. And I cannot complain about that... read more

5 stars reserved exclusively for karaoke nights on Wednesdays. 2 stars for the other nights of the week. the songbook is incredible and if you are scrappy/drunk enough to get hold of a mic you will probably have a good night. sometimes the crowd requests a lot of obscure country music though and those are not too fun to sing along to. read more

Oh Kip's, you illustrious hellhole, you. Your bathrooms may be gross and your floors may be sticky, but damned if I don't keep coming back to you whenever I'm looking to have fun in the East Bay. And why not? You are the only thing resembling a decent college bar in the whole of Berkeley. You offer us dancing and televised sports. Your bouncers don't mind me running up and down the stairs repeatedly just to catch a smoke. Your clientele are generally really nice people who are usually just out to have a good time and don't really deserve the "bros and hos" tag that they get labelled with. You attract international students who have broadened my worldview considerably. Your owner, Jimmy, is a nice, affable guy who tells great stories. Your drinks are cheap and stiff, and you are fun to hang out at for sports, pool or during your late night rush from 12:00-1:30. I love you Kip's. Let's just keep that on the down low, okay? read more

SMELLS LIKE ASS, creepy bouncer, shitty drinks. I know there aren't any other bars within walking distance that serve hard liquor (if I am misinformed, PLEASE inform me), but I would not waste my money here. I spent $9 + tip for a watered-down adios that was mostly ice. The dance floor reminded me of my 18 and over clubbing days. Ew. The only reason I gave an extra star is because I feel bad for the boy behind the bar that is constantly cleaning and refilling ice. I have a feeling his parents/relatives own the place and he doesn't have a choice but to work there. I totally feel for you, bar boy! read more

Update again - came back today for a happy hour, still a good beer selection but somehow the wings have gotten even more expensive ($9 for 8 wings) and they were soggy too. I also had a burger which was passable and some soggy fries. Don't bother with food here, get a beer, watch the game and leave before the undergrads show up. Previous update - Came back here recently excited for some wings, only to discover that they have completely ruined the wing deal. It is now $10 for 10 wings and you must order in sets of 10. Going from 50 cent wings so you could have 10 wings and a beer for $10 to this is a tragedy. Won't be coming back here unless they start a real special again. At least they still have a good beer selection, even if the prices have gone up. read more

Kip's is, and always will be, a dive bar of the college sort. The thing to recognize about dive bars is that they serve a purpose: cheep drinks and a pushover crowd. This place epitomizes both to the fullest. You don't go to a dive bar because the bathrooms are nice, because the drink specials have umbrellas, because the TV screens are large, or because furniture is quality; you go to a dive bar to get drunk and pick up members of the opposite sex. Hands down, this is a great place to do that. That being said, this place is not without its glaring faults, and as a former bartender there, I will attest to many of them from a first hand experience. Three stars is generous, but it does captures the niche market in which this bar resides. read more

This is a restaurant? I really had no idea. Kip's is loved by a vocal few. Some of these vocal few happen to be some of my friends. I have gone many times and have always thought, "Why? Why am I here?" It's not a dive bar because dive bars are supposed to be cheap. Kip's is not cheap. I will go back on a karaoke night because I think I'm probably being unfair without experiencing Kip's to its fullest. In the meantime, wear comfortable and non-expensive shoes. Every time I go, I usually get 2-4 drinks spilled on them... and not by me. read more

Ah, a quintessential slice of Berkeley college life. I go to art school, but sometimes it's fun to pretend I go to Cal, and get that trashy, college - y experience that the hipsters I know are too lame to appreciate, and Kip's is perfect for that. The upside: Drinks are dirt cheap, especially during happy hour, which I think is just before 9pm on weekdays, but I could be wrong, because that's when I went., and my gin and tonic was $2.50. It was ok. I had to order a couple of them, because they were kinda weak, but for $2.50, I could order three for the price of one at a regular bar, so there is that. The downside: If you are over the age of 27, (Idk, I just thought of that age, but I guess it seems about right) do NOT go to Kip's. Sorry, but you will probably not enjoy it, because it will be filled with bros and drunk sorority chicks. Also, you will look like a creeper. Seriously, there are some guys in their 30's or whatever who hang out here...fuckin creepers. Especially on that dance floor that they have on weekends, which kind of reminds me of just a high school dance, but in a bar, so everyone is drunk, not just the cool kids. And there are creepers. No thanks. So yea, the drinks are cheap, and I guess it's alright if you go with a big group of people, but the dance floor is pretty lame. However, I have never been there on a karaoke night, so if I went to one of those then I might consider starring it up if it's good, because karaoke is the bomb. read more

For much of the UC Berkeley population, Kip's has a reputation for being the bottom of the barrel when it comes to going out for drinks some random night. Friends have described it as "trashy", and "fratty". During the summers, it's packed most nights with students from abroad, mainly French and Irish -- I was even asked last summer if I was "one of those visiting Irish" while at Kip's one time. The music tends to be loud so unless you're sitting extremely close to your friends, yelling directly at their ear, having a conversation will be a struggle. Having said that, Kip's certainly delivers for what it is: a bar. You go in, get a drink or two, hang out with your friends, then finish off the Southside Berkeley barhopping trifecta by walking over to Pappy's and Tap Haus. Don't expect elegance or glamour -- just a pub, alcohol, and drunk people. read more

Very grimy, but all-in-all, a Berkeley tradition. Don't come here expecting a world class experience because Kip's dingy atmosphere does attract a different crowd. As a college student on a budget, Kip's is a solid place to grab a quick drink, or celebrate birthdays that happen to fall on a school night // They give complementary BlowJob shots on your 21st! The Fishbowls are fun to share but if you want to get drunk in the fastest and most efficient way possible, I'd recommend the AMF. Also, if you're feeling particularly bored and are in dire need of a drink on a weekday night, they bring out the wheel after 9 PM with a variety of cocktails, well drinks, etc. for only $3 a spin. They're strict with IDs and close relatively earlier than bars in the city. That being said, you get what you pay for. read more

I came here on Saturday night with some friends from out of town. We got there around 11:30pm and it was pretty busy. The dancing didn't really get started until around midnight, which was good, because that's what we were looking for. My friend and I got cranberry vodkas for $5 each. They were a little on the weak side, but not too bad. Like everyone says, this is your typical college bar, complete with dancing, sports on TV, and a pool table, so don't expect it to be some fancy lounge. The floors weren't noticeably sticky and I was able to grab a couple seats at the bar, so I was happy. Didn't venture into the bathrooms, so I can't confirm or deny anything there. I think I was more afraid than anything else because of everyone else's reviews. Someone should go in, just to check! Overall, I'll certainly be back if I'm looking for somewhere to go dancing! read more

This is not the Chinese joint underneath the bar. The dark interior helps turn you from a 4 to a 7 in just one drink. Wouldn't call it the cheapness, but they're onto the Taco Tuesday hype and probably have the best fish tacos out of the Telegraph Triangle (Kip's-Pappy's-CafeD). Fake ID's somewhat accepted (Rumor has it) read more

Only gotten drinks here once but giving this place a 5-star review because Kip's Tuesday Night Trivia is FIRE thanks to hosts Garima and Claire. What a power duo. Pls go support them! read more

Typical "Bro-down." if you're into that kind of thing... honestly feels like a high school dance, but you're not in high school anymore... read more

Ahhhh what can I say about Kip's?? Such fond college memories I have of this place. Yes, on weekend nights it gets quite crowded.. and yes there is a strange moistness to the air.. not the pleasant kind like "it's hot and this slight rain drizzle is quite refreshing," but more like the "raver rain" variety. But why would you go to a bar that's one block away from a college and just four blocks away from sorority/frat row and expect to get five-star service, drink quality, and bar decor? This is a college bar - you KNOW what you're getting yourself into so don't act like you just happened to stumble upon this place mr/ms fancy pants. You go in to get drunk and make bad (but safe) decisions, and that's what makes this place wonderful. 5 stars for the memories I made here... most of them I can't quite remember now but I'm sure they were good.. Go bears! read more

This place really takes the cake for trashy bars in Berkeley. My first time here and I'm greeted by vomit on the stairs when my friends and I climbed up to the entrance. Beers on tap cater to the frat boy crowd (who, judging by the primary beers on tap, can only drink PBR to have a good time) with only a few domestic craft brews. And then they mark up the price on those beers to within an inch of it's life. But if your looking for another frat party after the one you are at gets shut down by the cops, then stroll on over to Kips; you'll feel like it never ended. I spent $40 on two pitchers of Pyramid Alehouse Hefeweizen ($36 + $4 tip). In-$@%&*#@-credible!!!!! Just go to Bear's Lair on Friday's for "Beat the Clock." Better beer, better value. I won't be coming back here again. read more

Nasty, man, just really, really nasty. I ordered a burger and I could have sworn it tasted like Palmolive. How do I know what Palmolive tastes like? Let's just say that I had some language problems when I was a kid. Avoid this place. There's like 10 other better places to eat along Telegraph. read more

I hate this bar. From the stuck up crowd to the selectively attentive bartenders. Dj and karaoke nights suck. Apparently they continue the karaoke list from the prior night the next night so don't bother signing up for a chance to sing. They'll never get to you. Thinks are cheap and you get what you pay for. You can barely taste the alcohol. Bartenders are polite but it takes them forever to get to you if you aren't sitting at the bar. A few months ago I came here with coworkers to see off new employees who were returning to Ireland after working here for the summer. We ordered the fishbowl. So overrated. It's 95% juice. Bathrooms are filthy. And there is a such thing as too crowded. Almost every time I've ever gone there barely enough room to move. And people get mad when you have to push through them after saying excuse me a hundred times. But the hot wings are delicious. read more

Love the fries and club sandwich. Sometimes it can get a little crazy at night but they also have a spin the wheel for $3 you can win up to 4-7 dollars worth of drinks! This place is casual and good for a first date or just hanging out with friends 1 read more

A lot of people have a lot of bad shit to say about kips. They say it's got shitty pizza They say it smells of piss, beer and vomit, they say it's full of skanks and frat boys, and ya know what... it's all true So you may wonder why this filthy frat party atmosphere without free drinks gets so many stars from me. It's really simple. When I was at cal, kips was like the monday night booty call- kinda nasty, you don't want to admit you like going, but you're gonna have a good time and get trashed, and more often than not you'll regret it in the morning. The real question is why I ended up here so many thursdays. That said, I'd be hard pressed to show up here again unless I had a gang of friend with me who were all feeling nostalgic, and even then we'd probably end up somewhere a little less fratty ( despite the pedigree) On a side note, if there were a review for the 'monday night bootie cal'l from me it would look exactly like this one, with the one exception that I probably wouldn't recommend showing up with a bunch of friends, I had fun in college but not quite that kinda fun. read more

I would recommend this place to anyone. The food was great. Definitely worth a try! Andrew was our bartender, super chill nice guy, very friendly. He surprised us with shots to take with him. That almost never happens! Thanks Andrew, well be back! #itsonthehouse #Cheers. read more