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Little Gem Belgian Waffles

4.6 (658 reviews)
Open • 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

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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Mona A.

This place is great, who doesn't love Belgian waffles. We stopped by here while visiting Berkeley a few years ago and it smelled amazing, waffles were good, sweet, but good overall

Outside sign
Jay S.

Truly a little gem! We had pizza nearby and we decided to come here for dessert, what an absolute amazing combination. Not only are the waffles delicious, but the toppings, and the ice cream flavors are also fantastic! It was pretty fast and everything was made fresh, the ambiance is very cute but there's no place to sit down or go inside. You order at the window and pick up at the window. It's also card only, but I actually prefer that, and the ordering is also done through a self-serve kiosk. I can't wait to go back next time I'm in Berkeley!

Order
Rae P.

A cute little hole in the wall near UC Berkeley campus. I was shocked that it was no interaction from the worker. I was literally standing trying to scan then look over the menu to choose. The entire time the 1 lady never spoke, or even look up. Ah I noticed at the pickup window she has ear buds in her ears so she's literally cooking and listening to music.

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.

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.

10. Waffle of Warriors
Sophie H.

look how beautiful this is. I've been to norcal many times but it has been my lifelong dream to try little gem, and it definitely exceeded my expectations. i had to make the game time decision to get this instead of yogurt park (or yopo as they say) and was glad i went with this scrumptious delight. for all the topping and caramel the waffle does not get soggy, and the ice cream and banana combo was just perfect. it's pretty heavy and i split it with 2 people. they were understandably pretty busy with orders around 9 pm on grad week but were kind and attentive. long live this Berkeley staple

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.

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.

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.

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!

02. Crown jewel

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

Fantastic customer service and savy business ownership! The waffles are incredible and always a great desert.

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1 year ago

The inconvenience of this entire store's model is so frustrating and the waffle doesn't even make up for it. Mid. Coffee is bad, too.

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Page 3 of 17

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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Dessert Cafe is right around the corner from my friend's place and I ALWAYS pass by (regretting…read morethat I never get anything haha). The doors are always open and smells so good too. I finally decided to go inside and think I went a little crazy with ordering.. As you get inside, there are 2 kiosks that you can order on and the ordering process is pretty simple. I got all my food to-go and the wait was about 10 mins or less, so pretty quick! The service was awesome as well! The guy saw me struggling trying to carry all the food, drinks, and my IPad (I got stuff from the gas station prior) and he offered to help and put my drinks in this holder. I ordered the Tiger brown sugar milk tea w/ boba pearls, Hot Cheetos Half N Half corn dog (comes with choice of dipping, I got mustard), 8 piece fried dumplings (comes with soy sauce), fruity pebbles mochi donut, and the strawberry and banana nutella croffle. The milk tea was super good, could never go wrong with a brown sugar milk tea! The hot Cheetos corn dog was crispy and super good as well, however I wish I had eaten it when it was still hot to get that cheese pull... the fried dumplings were crispy and delicious. The fruity pebbles mochi donut was really soft and chewy (in a good way) and had the flavor of a glazed donut. Also the cereal tasted fresh! The strawberry/ banana Nutella croffle was so delicious and tasted like a strawberry/ banana waffle. I think this one had to be my fave. Overall, I paid a little under $40 with tip for all the food and I would definitely go again!

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