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Little Gem Belgian Waffles

4.6 (649 reviews)
Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)
Updated a few days ago

Order Little Gem Belgian Waffles Takeout or Delivery

Little Gem Belgian Waffles Photos

LITTLE GEM BELGIAN WAFFLES ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Moderate noise
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Little Gem Belgian Waffles

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15. Gempire State Of Mind
Marsha W.

I've been having a sweet tooth lately and have been coming here more frequently than usual... yay for me. Lol. Their matcha cream has been my latest obsession. The matcha tastes like ceremonial grade and pairs so well with the whipped cream on top of a waffle. ALSO, THEY ALSO JUST GOT A DELICIOUS CREAMY MANGO ICE CREAM... perfect for wanting to a tropical twist on your waffle.

03. Golden Bear
Emma N.

I got the golden bear, which was very delicious and flavorful! The churroffle was so flavorful, and it tasted perfect with the cinnamon sugar, crème, and bananas. The waffles are super warm and fresh and are perfect for a dessert.

Gloria Z.

I'm not even the biggest fan of belgian waffles, but these are probably one of the best belgian waffles I've had in a while. I love the extra sugar they put on the waffle to add to the texture. The waffles care cooked perfectly so they're still soft on the inside when crispy on the outside. They have great toppings that go great with their waffles, but it is truly the quality of the waffles that seal the deal for me. There's no seating outside and you can order online or order at their kiosk. It's to-go only. The wait can be a bit long sometimes, but I would say it is worth the wait. Would definitely go back again.

Nha D.

Love this place for a late night sweet treat! My friends and I always come here when we have a dessert craving. The waffles come out fresh and perfectly crispy every time -- paired with the whipped cream and fruit also,, so good. We always order off Snackpass before coming; sometimes they'll have deals during certain hours or if you create a party with your friends. I always order "crown jewel" or "golden bear," but you really can't go wrong with any of the options!

Build Your Own Waffle- strawberries, bananas, nutella
Stella C.

This place isn't popular for no reason! I always have to have these waffles every time I visit Berkeley. The smell of the shop is so enticing and the waffles are always fragrant and delicious! It's super convenient ordering ahead on Snackpass.

Waffle
Chad M.

I love waffles. Just not this waffle. I might try again and see if I get a better waffle/combination. I went with a churro/nutella/ whipped cream waffle. The waffle wasn't crisp or particularly flavorful. The churro seasoning just made it sweet. Couldn't taste the Nutella at all. The whipped cream cheese is good tho.

Abel A.

Solid dessert. We tried a few different ones and they all were legit. Service was quick. Staff was nice.

02. Crown jewel
Melody L.

LOVE LOVE LITTLE GEM! My favorite late night sweet treat spot to date. Little Gem operates off a Snackpass ordering system so you can order either ahead of time online or at the kiosk in front of the store. The waffles are delicious! My favorite is their signature Crown Jewel which is a waffle + whipped cream + strawberries, but you can customize your own waffle with any toppings you like including ice cream, Nutella, and so many other options. There's no spot to sit down and eat the waffle (it's a grab n go spot) so do keep that in mind. I love bringing my friends visiting Berkeley to this spot - 100% a Berkeley staple!

a flat "belgian Liege waffle".
Christian L.

Just came back from a trip to Brussels, Belgium excited to see if anything in the Bay Area could match or somewhat recapitulate my liege waffle experience from just a few weeks ago. I took a peep at the website where it mentions the owner was trained in Belgium, took a year to develop the recipe, and tested over 600+ versions. My expectations were high...Perhaps too high. What makes a true liege waffle unique to me is its density. The amount of flavor packed in one rich bite is to die for. Additionally the crispiness of the caramelized pearl sugar crossed with the soft texture is unforgettable. Little Gem Belgian Waffles lacked the critical components of belgian Liege waffle (or at least the batch that I had). The waffle was not dense- it was fluffy. The waffle was not crisp- it was soft (even flattened where I held it in the paper bag my plain waffle was served in and I don't think a real Liege waffle would do this since it's too dense!). Where is the caramelization? Where is the pearl sugar? I had a plain "Liege" waffle. If you ask any locals in Belgium, a plain Liege waffle is all you need. This plain waffle was not bad. In fact, it was pretty good. What I could enjoy was the fluffiness. Its texture felt more of like a pancake-y, ever so slightly mochi waffle. It was a bit airy too. The "not-too-sweet" flavor was also okay. Unfortunately, when you brand the waffle as a Liege, this is not what I was looking for and so I was left disappointed. Additionally I had a waffle with Nutella and strawberries. There were a few nibs of hazelnut hidden in the Nutella, which surprised me in a good way. Of course the taste was there for this one- you can put strawberries and Nutella on most things and it'll get an automatic-at-least 4 stars. I come on here to give a review and see it has 4+ stars. Is the waffle good? Yes! Is it great? Maybe! Is it a Liege Waffle? No!!! And that's the part that hurts the most. It is missing critical components that make a Liege waffle unique, but it's branding itself as such. I grabbed a $2 "Liege waffle" from Whole Foods the other day. It was pretty dry and had preservatives in it and what not, but it captured more of the characteristics of a true Liege waffle. I'm not saying it was good, but at least they tried. Had this place just been a waffle shop, I'd probably be giving a 4 or 5 star rating- likely landing at the rating it has today. Unfortunately, it is a "Belgian waffle" shop and I can't accept that. Perhaps my taste buds are still too fresh. Maybe my expectations are too high for a "Belgian" waffle made in a college area of Berkeley. Hopefully I just had a bad batch. If not, I think the owner may need to take a trip back to Belgium for a refresher. Or, just call it a waffle and not get people's hopes up who were expecting something else. It is a pretty good regular waffle.

jewel worth waffle
Blu M.

Classic sweets spot in close proximity to the UC Berkeley campus. Little Gem is truly a little gem. A small storefront with iPads to order off of, this place is top tier convenient mixed with tasty. I usually order my waffle on the Snackpass app, and the food is done in 10 minutes, super fast! A classic I love ordering is the jewel worthy waffle. It has Nutella, strawberries, and ice cream of choice (I usually get vanilla or cookies and cream). Everything is so good. The waffle itself is crispy on the outside and so nice and chewy on the inside. It is not too sweet, so it perfectly compliments whatever you get as your toppings, whether sweet or savoy! I love this place. It is a late night classic and satisfies my cravings each time. You really cannot go wrong with your creation, no matter what's on it. SO SO YUMMY!

Custom Waffle
Jessica L.

I came here for a week straight and the worker recognized my face, but truly the smell that you get from walking by is so tempting! I love their house whipped cream paired with biscoff.

I'm Gemmin' It
Krisstina C.

A perfect place to stop at for dessert! You order on the kiosk (which has pictures & descriptions of each item) and they will text you when your order is ready. Although it was busy, our order came out fast and was delicious. This is located on a busy street so parking can get hard. However, there are parking garages that are just a few minute walk away.

Terry R.

Our family recently discovered liege waffles so we were very excited when we found Little Gem waffles on Yelp during our recent stay in SF. But the trek to Berkeley left us disappointed and unfortunately Little Gem was more little then gem. The waffle lacked the crystallization that gives a liege waffle it's amazing chewy and crunchy texture. Little Gem also lacked indoor and outdoor seating..not sure how they expect someone to fully enjoy their waffle since waffles don't necessarily travel well. A good Belgium waffle that fell short as a liege waffle. UPDATE: owner replied and I appreciated how receptive she was to the feedback. She explained that the lack of seating was due to constant crime. And that they cut down on the pearl sugar (that gives the liege waffle with its chewy crystallization) to control the sweetness.

Crown Jewel - house special cream and fresh strawberries

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6 months ago

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15 days ago

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7 days ago

My daughter, who is very very selective about food, can't stop thinking about these waffles.

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4 days ago

The ice cream appeared to be expired. Had a weird taste. The waffle was good but the ice cream was definitely off putting.

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Ask the Community - Little Gem Belgian Waffles

Do you take cash?

Hi! If you have close to exact change we do! We just don’t have much change. Thank you and hope to see you!

Do they offer gluten-free waffles?

Hi, not yet. Thank you for checking in.

Do u have any vegan options?

Hi, sorry not yet.

Dows the waffle batter contain dairy or eggs?

Hi, the waffles contain diary and eggs. Thank you.

Do they serve gluten free waffles?

View All 7 Questions

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Arrived back in Berkeley for one night and got to try a different dessert this time! This place is…read morecentrally located in the plaza right off the Downtown Berkeley BART station. My good friend not only picked us up, but she and her husband got dinner too, so of course I had to get dessert! We were short on time, so I used DoorDash to place a pickup order and it was literally ready in like less than two minutes. I can't speak on the ambiance of the place as my partner was the one who ran out to go get our order. Mango Sorbet - one taste of this and I swear it was reminiscent of biting into an Alphonso mango (which I know is no longer in season). This is a total winner and for this flavor alone, I would absolutely come back. Pistachio Gelato - this was pretty creamy and the crushed pistachio pieces actually tasted like it had been fresh and roasted. I'm glad it retained it's flavor and texture despite being swirled into a gelato. My partner commented that it was good seeing a pistachio frozen dessert in its natural color and not with the artificial green food coloring. This turned out to be a perfect purchase because my friend who lives in Berkeley surprisingly had not tried this place yet! I knocked off a star because the pints did not have the flavors labeled which I thought was rather strange. We were all impressed by both gelato flavors, but the mango sorbet was very clearly the fan favorite. It's nice to know this shop is opened daily (Monday to Thursday from 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM and Friday to Sunday from 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM) especially with school back in session.

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Little Gem Belgian Waffles - desserts - Updated May 2026

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