The new owners are SO cheap and mean. They charge a $1 for extra syrup. Lama the old owner was so kind and accommodating to his customers. He went out and bought log cabin syrup just for us and didn't charge extra for more sy read more

We've been to Lama Beans for dinner a handful of times and each meal is really quite delicious and inexpensive! I usually opt for the fried chicken special on Fridays - you get three courses with that - salad, entree, and small slice of cake for dessert - for $18. That, my friends, is a good deal - especially when the food is fresh and tasty. The entree - chicken (two large pieces) was flavorful - really crispy skin with tender, moist, flavorful, side of mashed potatoes (buttery goodness), and carrots /green beans. Service was solid - friendly and attentive. read more

Good food, fair pricing, a nice place to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner when you want somewhere fast where you can park nearby. I like to get their specials for dinner with a glass of house wine. Not the top end gourmet, but good fresh food at a fair price. read more

Just finished eating their smoked salmon Benedict and it was absolutely divine. Ordered for delivery and the presentation was beautiful and the food was still hot. I also ordered a half stack of the silver dollar pancakes, which was enough to share. The pancakes were light and fluffy and tasted good with or without syrup. read more

We have been coming regularly for dinner for the last couple of years. The food is always good and they have the best deals for 3- course meals. The service is fast and friendly. This is probably the most underrated place in Berkeley. We have eaten at plenty of places costing twice as much or more where food is still not as good as Lama Beans's. read more

Had their Memorial Day Brunch. I had the fried chicken and waffles and my son had child verde. Very tasty as usual (usually come about twice a month). Thanks to Lama read more

Lama Beans Cafe - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Good, underrated brunch spot in the East Bay. Super fast service and great food. Tried their chorizo scramble which was warm and yummy and the silver dollar pancakes which were perfectly simple with butter and maple syrup. I'd definitely come back for more! read more

We chose to give this place a try even though there are many reviews about the decline in quality. We should have listened. The food was disappointing but the service was worse. My boyfriend and I both ordered the corn beef hash. Mine came out first and they then realized, though didn't bother to say anything, that the cook forgot to prepare the second order. He rushed to make it and brought out an undercooked meal soaked in oil and what was apparently heavy whipping cream. Never had heavy whipping cream in my corn beef hash... When my boyfriend asked for it to be corrected, Lama himself took care of it. No apology. Just an explanation that the cook over cooked the order and dried it out and then tried to correct it with more heavy whipping cream... This response doesn't seem like the kind of thing you want to share with your customer. Neither of us could finish our meal. We politely explained to Lama that we weren't happy with the food and would appreciate a portion of our money returned. Again, no apology. Instead, he got confrontational, again explained what the cook was thinking, and ignored our polite thanks for the agreed return on payment. Pretty unprofessional. Won't be returning for a second shot. read more

We were here for an early dinner 3 nights ago only because we wanted to hit Fieldswork Brewery which is only one block away. Our server was excellent. However, the food was not. I ordered the fish and chips which consisted of 3 small pieces of fish, crumbled-up french fries, and one tablespoon of salad. Nothing special and small portions. $(14.00). My significant other got some chicken dish ( 3 tiny pieces) and a potatoe ($17.00). Her portions were even smaller than mine. Honestly, we left hungry, walked to Fieldswork for something to eat and of course, beer. As I have noted in previous reviews, management needs to be aware so they can fix things in order to have customers go back. We will not. Thanks for reading my review. read more

TL;DR: Disorganized but polite service, mediocre food, overpriced Four of us went to brunch here. The wait to order was short, and we were able to find a table relatively easily. The coffee and iced tea we ordered were brought promptly. However, the dishes came out all at separate times-- the four of us essentially all ate separately. We had to talk to the (very nice) person at the counter to get the dishes we ordered for the last two people. We ordered 2 orders of avocado toast at $6 each, later realizing that it was $6 for a single piece of bread with a quarter of an avocado on it, some spices and a huge amount of salt. The Mediterranean sampler platter was okay, though weirdly oily, and the Eggs Benedict we ordered was good, although the hollandaise sauce has no lemon on it. The thing they have going for them is the fruits and vegetables, which were all pretty much perfect. It might be a better experience if you order different dishes, but somehow I doubt it. read more

Lama Beans Cafe - View from the corner table - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

This little café has the best Chai Latte and small plates I have ever tasted in the Bay Area. The owner is a Sherpa who guided climbs of the Himalayas. Fabulous breakfasts and lunches read more

Stopped in for dinner the other night, after seeing previously that there was new ownership. VERY glad we did. Dinner was so good and service was excellent. We will definitely be back. I had the Bacon, Lettuce, & Trout sandwich, which was awesome. Dinner companions had the wild mushroom pasta (He LOVED it!) and the lamb shawerma (also enjoyed very much). We all shared the calamari and that was so crisp and light, not greasy. We also all had the soup of the day and enjoyed that as well. Can't think of a negative thing to say at all. Thank you for a wonderful dinner. We'll be back! :) read more

i've always loved this café, great food great prices, but today I had a very unpleasant experience. I went to have breakfast and ordered their combo which includes coffee. They were out of decaf and instead of just making an Americano as a substitute, (which is the same price as a cup of coffee, in fact a little cheaper) the guy at the counter wanted to charge me full price to make me an Americano. The combo includes a cup of coffee, and the fact that they don't have it isn't really my problem. And he could've just charged me maybe a dollar extra, but no he wanted to charge me full price for something that's included in their menu item. When I tried to talk him out of it and tell him that since the two items are almost the same price he shouldn't charge me, he disagreed and told me that it was somehow different. Seems to me that customer service should be more important than nickel and diming for this kind of thing. read more

This is my absolute favorite place to come for breakfast and I've been coming here since I was a little kid. Their potatoes are killer and the trio of sauces are to die for. As a kid I always got the silver dollar pancakes and they still serve them the same way! Our food always comes super fast and the servers are really nice. The owner, Lama, is often here and he loves to chat with his customers. Great food for a great price. I definitely recommend stopping by if you're visiting Berkeley or if you live nearby and haven't been here before. read more

Cute, and cozy for breakfast. The price is reasonable and the country fried potatoes are to die for - at least for my plate of food.

I was in town to visit my son at school and found this as my go-to place for breakfast, which was excellent every time I went as was the service. I wanted to try their 3-course dinners and took my son there on my last night in town for the rack-of-lamb three course meal. It started well, but the lamb itself was a big disappointment. Three ribs, one of them w/half a cut of meat on the bone. I mentioned it to the waiter hoping for a replacement, but they were out so I must've gotten the last part of the rack. Flavor was good, but the portion left me wanting. read more

Great food, great price! Came for an early dinner on Sat night, had the Rack of Lamb special and Beef Brisket. High quality!

This place is a dirty, the food is bad and it is no where near as good as jimmy beans. Their are plenty of places to go that are far better and offer better food. Skip it. read more

I went to this cafe thinking the food was going to be great. The food was okay definitely not worth the price. Service was awesome.

Just tried it out since they have outdoor seating where you can bring your dog. The vegan options were Falafel lavash or Portobello sandwich. I went with the lavash and it was pretty good; next time I'd ask for more tahini sauce since I didn't get the yogurt. I think it was $14 but it was quite a large wrap and comes with fries or a salad. I was there between 4 and 5 and traffic was pretty heavy on the surrounding streets, so the outdoor seating wasn't as enjoyable as it would otherwise have been. The seating on the 6th Street side has permanent flower boxes next to it that kind of smelt like pee. read more

I have been going to Lama Beans for a long time, and this establishment is superior. Lama Beans has great food! First off, I'd like to point out that before the owner change, this place was screaming for a remodeling. Lama Beans (formerly Jimmy Beans) was dirtier, and the seats and tables old. After the new owner came in, all of this changed. The walls were painted over, the tables and chairs replaced, the bathroom was redone, and the whole place seemed to get cleaner and tidier. Secondly, the service is great and always friendly. You order at a counter and seat yourself. The food comes out relatively quick and the waiters are extremely nice! Thirdly, the food is de-licious! Pancakes are soft, and omelettes and eggs just perfect! (Although I'm not a fan of the salsas on the side.) And the side of potatoes is great!! This restaurant is amazing and I'd love to keep coming here for a long time! read more

VERY delicious food - you can tell they make everything fresh with great ingredients. Mostly I love the breakfast items on the menu, so start with those : ) read more

Lama Beans consistently serves tasty meals with high-quality ingredients, lovingly prepared and served by caring staff. We've never been disappointed here, whether eating breakfast, lunch or dinner. The new owner has made changes that have improved the restaurant and menu (fried chicken tastes better and we love their cioppino!). read more

There presentation was nice but they had an issue me asking for ice for my water. So I like it ice. Kind of self service.

Easy neighborhood cafe. Good portions for price. The boyfriend had fried chicken & waffles (weekend special) and I had the breakfast pizza. The chicken was crispy & tasty - the boyfriend felt it was on par with Brown Sugar Kitchen. Waffles were average. My breakfast pizza was a 9" with 2 eggs on top, arugula, bacon, lots of cheese. Only complains were that my pizza dough was slightly underdone and definitely needed salt, black pepper and Tabasco. read more

i had the brisket dinner special which was tender and delicious. It was served with a salad and dessert. I thought it was a great value. I would definitely come again and I would love to try other menu items and specials. The service was very attentive and friendly. read more

I stopped in with a co-worker and had never been here before. I loved the steak sandwich and it came with fries. The prices are very reasonable and the service was friendly. The food was served quickly and arrived hot. I would very much be inclined to come back. My co-worker and I split the sandwich and fries and she enjoyed the food as well. read more

Very crowded but our food was out quickly. I had a tuna melt and it was scrumptious! Interesting menu with lots of variety.

We have been coming here for a while. It was formally Jimmy Beans and is now under new management. The trio of sauces that come with everything are great. I have only had breakfast so I can not comment on anything else. The eggs Benedict with the sauces is great. The cafe drinks are good. Today I tried the goat cheese and herb scramble. Very tasty. read more

Stopped at Lama Beans for my favorite sandwich. Very Disappointing. Roast Leg of Lamb sandwich is my choice on their menu. It used to be served with thinly sliced med. rare lamb with eggplant and tomato. Today it was served with well done torn pieces of meat (not sure it was even lamb), tomato and no egg plant. And, no apology from the server. He appeared to think it was my problem. He said he would talk to the boss about it. Not sure I will go back. Not up to the standard that I was accustomed to there. Mary M. read more

Went there a few times for lunch and breakfast. Overall it's a nice little spot and we enjoy eating there. The dollar pancakes are the best I ever had. Very very good. The portions are always generous and the price is fair. Service is okay but since you pay in advance and order at the cash it's not a big deal. The only thing I did not enjoy is the goat cheese and herbs omelette, it was not really tasty. read more

I can't believe this has taken me over 2 weeks to write this review. I'm sure I just got lost in all the yummy flavor of the goat cheese and mushroom omelette. I also got a side of hollandaise. They have really great hollandaise - very light and full of flavor...doesn't remind me of mayo like most places. I came at a good time apparently. There was no one in line and only 3 people eating. I didn't wait long for my to-go order. The three sauces they put in with the food are really good too! I will definitely come back here. I can't think of any other omelette at this point I'd rather have! Mhmmmmmm. read more

Advertises homemade corn beef hash. They should try serving from a can. No flavor. Was a bit pricey too

This is our regular breakfast spot when we are in Berkeley. Consistently good food, yummy Chai latte, and delicious sauces that accompany all dishes. This location is perfect for our group of vegetarians and meat eaters. read more

Lama is the new owner and is great! He is open to feedback and looking for improvements. Lama was an employee when this was Jimmy Beans so he really does know the business. Their morning bun is literally the best I have ever had. Lots of choices on the menu. Only downside is the prices are a little high but that hasn't stopped me from going in 2 - 3 times per week! read more

Had dinner there tonight (Thursday) in the early evening with 13 of my friends. They gave us the back room all to ourselves. Service was accommodating, friendly, competent, and prompt. Had the $15 braised beef brisket dinner special, which included salad, mashed potatoes, a small portion of vegetables, and dessert. The meal was very tasty, especially the beef, which was plentiful and melted in your mouth just the right amount. A great meal and not expensive for what you get. Would like to take my gf there! The only room for improvement was that the acoustics made it hard to hear the low talkers in our group. People who are fussy about interior decoration may criticize the furnishings, but I was there to eat. read more

We came here on a Groupon and will definitely be back! The dinner menu has good selection of salads, dinner entrees, and wraps. Decent beer and wine. Best part is everything is reasonably priced! Service was slow but they brought bread and butter to tie us over. read more

Stopped in for breakfast one morning and the food was pretty unremarkable and bland. On the plus side, there's outdoor seating so if you bring your mutts along like we did, there's a place for them to be other than in the car. read more

My parents and I come here all the time, breakfast or lunch. The owner is super friendly and everything I have ever ordered here has been tasty. I love the jerk chicken lavash, which is my go-to lunch item, unless I try one if their daily specials, which are also always worth a shot, have never been disappointed. For breakfast, they make great benedicts and my mom loves the silver dollar pancakes. read more

Silver Dollar and Blueberry Pancakes are melt in your mouth delicious! One of my all time favorite breakfast spots!