If you've ever fantasized about spending the night in a Bernard Maybeck structure here's your chance. The Faculty Club, on the UC Berkeley campus, was designed by the legendary Berkeley architect and is many things to many people. Most notably, it's: * A place to eat and drink; * A venue to rent out for events; and * A place to spend the night. I ate and drank there* but I also spent the night there and that's the reason for my 3-star rating and the focus of this review. The Faculty Club rents out rooms, some with private bath and some with communal bath, all situated along a long hallway up a set of stairs. If you've drank too much below, are in town to visit a student at UCB, or are just hankering to spend the night on campus it's not a bad option. The rooms for rent are functional (not fancy) and clean (but not new). "Utilitarian" is an apt description. A friend and I stayed in a room with 2 beds and its own bathroom and shower at a cost of $215. Rooms with shared baths are (obviously) less and an additional $15.40 will buy you a parking pass valid until 2 p.m. the following day at a nearby, on campus lot. I don't track the cost of lodging in the Bay Area but this rate seemed reasonable, especially considering the inclusion of a continental breakfast for 2 the following morning. Before falling asleep the night of my stay my friend wondered whether the Campanile's toll would wake us. Fear not; it didn't. Instead, 52 beeps from a garbage truck backing up was followed by the crash of glass recyclables being collected, all before sunrise. So, be sure your room is on the west side of the building if you desire a quieter experience. I can't imagine returning for an overnight here but I'd certainly be comfortable recommending it to others. It was fun and serene to step outside in the morning, right onto the beautiful Faculty Glade of the UCB campus. I can well imagine others enjoying the reasonably-priced experience. * Food and drink are reviewed under Faculty Club Kerr Dining Room read more

I stayed at The Faculty Club for one night for business. The setting is beautiful, serene, and in the middle of the Berkeley campus. The atmosphere I loved, the hotel room not so much. I tried to embrace the history and think of all the families and students who have stayed here over the years, and that worked somewhat. I did have a good stay and ultimately enjoyed my room for what it was. Things to know: - The building is challenging to find and GPS is marginally helpful. - There was no place available to park to check-in so I had to risk it and park in a 30 minute loading zone up the hill. - It was hard to find the right door to get the lobby - no helpful signage at all. - After checking in you have to navigate to one of the parking lots they allow you to park in, which is not right at the Club. - You have to navigate your way back to the place after parking - I was lugging my bags. - You have to lug your bags up a significant flight of stairs to get to the rooms - no elevator. - The rooms are like an old cabin - not updated, dark wood, very basic accommodations. - If you get a room with your own bathroom, the bathroom is tiny with nowhere to set your toiletries or even hang your hand towel. - The bed is just okay - nothing like nicer hotels. The bedding is very thin and looks like something you'd find in a Motel 6. They could at least give you a nice mattress and comfy bedding even while keeping the basic/historic look of the rooms. - There is a flatscreen tv, but it's small and uses Dish network - remote is somewhat confusing. - There was a small fridge, but it wasn't plugged in. - There was a glue trap for rodents in my room which didn't instill confidence. Some positives: - The room was very spacious and had a high ceiling. Although it felt very old, it was clean. - The windows open wide letting in a nice breeze and adding a serene feel. - The price is reasonable in my opinion. - The atmosphere is relaxing and the area is safe. - The restaurant has good food and also reasonably priced in my opinion. - Free breakfast. read more

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Got the grilled salmon. So perfectly seared. The sauce was a little zingy complimented the salmon very well. Kale and mashed potatoes were also good. read more

Really good burger before Cal football game. Cooked medium rare. I dont like the curley fries. I wish the would just do traditional fries and offer an option of potato salad or coleslaw as my wife wont eat fries . They have coke while the university has sold their soul to Pepsi. Also nice salad bar. Not much in the way of deserts except cookies. No ice cream, cakes or pies. read more

Our daughter got married last month at BFC and it was wonderful. The space is beautiful -- wonderful for both the ceremony (outside on the lawn) and the reception. The Great Hall (where we had the reception) is a long, rustic hall with exposed beams and mounted animal heads (I know, but they fit the vibe) anchored with a huge fireplace at one end. We had string lights added which made it cozy. The food, staff and vibe was truly wonderful. We especially enjoyed working with the event planner on site who worked tirelessly to help support the event and had plenty of great ideas from her vast experience supporting others. Overall, a great experience. read more

Came here for a wedding. Seemed like a decent venue and the food was fine. It's located about a 5 to 10 minute walk from the nearest campus parking structure, so it's a little inconvenient for a hotel. One big problem that I had was that that I was tasked with getting a number of large items to the wedding venue. After much trial and error, I finally found a place to park next to the faculty club, if you don't mind parking in a handicapped spot or double parking while you unload things. Here's how to get to that drop off spot: From Piedmont Avenue, go downhill on Optometry Lane and then turn right into a small parking lot called Cheit Lane. Then turn left down a single lane driveway named Minor Lane and go past the Women's Faculty Club on the right. You'll see the disabled parking and a few reserved spaces on the right. read more

I came here back in the summer (sorry for the really late review) to have lunch with colleagues. The menu isn't huge when it comes to main dishes and there's not many vegetarian options, but at least they offer Beyond burgers. There's a few different sections in the food area so you can order a burger by walking up to the grill. I got fries, which are waffle / crisscut style, on the side. I paid $11.50 at the time for the food and I did feel it was a pretty filling meal - I had trouble finishing off all of it since I tend to eat smaller than what are standard US portion sizes. I thought the food was pretty good, burger had been cooked fresh in front of me and the fries are also crispy and not too soft. If you're looking for their up-to-date restaurant/food hours, I'd recommend looking at the Faculty Club website; I'm assuming the Yelp hours show it's open 24 hours just because the venue can be booked at other times of day. I've also been here once for a retirement gathering and they do have outdoor patio space. However, there are multiple entrances to the building so you might have to walk around it a bit to find the right opening if not all doors are unlocked. Google Maps wasn't that great for navigating here either. read more

The Faculty Club - Beyond burger with waffle fries - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Berkeley, California

2.5 stars rounded down to 2. I stayed here while interviewing for a PhD program at UC Berkeley. As a hotel, it gets the job done but be warned that the rooms are quite old! I stayed in a single queen bed room and the bathroom desperately needs to be upgraded...the little cubby in the shower to put your soaps and things was so rusted and dirty that I did not dare put my toiletries there. Basically everything else in the room screamed "old," which I guess fits Berkeley since it's also hella old as an institution. I never felt like I fully had privacy because the some of the blinds covering the windows in the room were broken and had holes in them (I attempted to covered some of the holes with extra towels lol). Also I'm not sure if it was just my floor, but all the rooms in my area seemed to be accessible only by stairs for any ADA folks out there considering staying here. The good things about this hotel was the service of the staff and its convenient location on campus. It's definitely fine for a couple of nights, especially if you have business on the UC Berkeley campus! Otherwise, skip this place because you are not missing out on much read more

I always like to stay here at the Berkeley Faculty Club when I'm in the Bay Area: beautiful Bernard Maybeck building situated along Strawberry Creek in picturesque Faculty Glade steps from the Campanile. While average rooms in the Bay Area start at $300 per night, the Faculty Club offers beautiful spacious suites (including a refrigerator) in a gorgeous historic Northern California Craftsman building for $200 per night inclusive. I appreciate building a scenic walk into both ends my day. I'm typically gone long before continental breakfast starts at 7a but that's a lovely plus for those who partake. read more

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Amazing experience, good people and great food, highly recommend and good servers. Highly recommend!

I woke up this morning and remembered, "Yay! Free lunch meeting today at The Faculty Club!" I put on my school colors, blue shirt w/yellow tie. The Faculty Club has a new "seasonal menu" and my colleagues and I were looking forward to a great meal. Morning email, "Sorry, we need to reschedule out meeting today..." What? "Bump it!" I said to myself. "We're going there anyway!" Jane and Andy (Andrea) pal'ed with me for lunch and we had a great walk up the Memorial Glade to The Faculty Club. I thought, "How lucky we are to work at such a beautiful place?" as we entered the Julia Morgan designed Faculty Club. Paul, the ever present and friendly server, set us up in on a round table top for three in the Bar with Diet Cokes. To hear Paul describe each entree, the club could be serving stale bread and water, and you'd order it! He suggested the Lemon Thyme Chicken Breast, served with roasted beet risotto, sautéed Swiss chard and au jus. Andy and Jane both threw in for the chicken. I joking complained that the Hot Pastrami Sandwich with Waffle Fries has been replaced by a Tandoori Chicken Roll made with sliced sweet onions, tomatoes rolled in naan bread and served with mint chutney. It sounded of course, delish, but craving bacon, I asked for the new and improved Traditional, the triple-decker sandwich with roasted turkey, apple-smoked bacon, lettuce, and tomato on sourdough bread. Waffle fries? Hummm... Country Potato Salad, please. OMG! the Lemon Thyme Chix looked like it jumped from the pages of Bon Appetit. I had to take a double look! The onions were delicately fried, sitting on top of "beet red" beet risotto, and the chicken airline breast was well seasoned with Thyme. I'm not a fan of Swiss chard, but it looked just like Bok Choy! My House Club was quartered and presented with them little bamboo skewers. Each bite was so good with a surprise, avocado! I alternated bites with a Kosher pickle and the mustard potato salad. As we enjoyed our coffee, Paul asked how we like the meal. Of course, I had to share my dissapointment that the Lobster Risotto that my DC home girl and Cal graduate, Helen V. we both loved, is no longer on the menu. Paul offered, "I'm sure it will be back as a special." Booyah! I was so pleased, I put the lunch on my account! As we walked back to the office, I remembered, "Yay! Free lunch meeting tomorrow at The Women's Faculty Club!" More Yelps on the way! read more

Great Wedding Venue! My husband and I got married at The Faculty Club this past January and it was such a wonderful experience! We highly recommend TFC and their team. First of all, the space is beautiful, so unique, full of character, historic and versatile with both outdoor and indoor event spaces. There are also gorgeous sites for bridal party photos walking distance in all directions. We got photos outside, but had an indoor ceremony in front of the massive fireplace. Secondly, the site coordinator Erica, was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and easy to work with. She was so helpful and accommodating. Thirdly, TFC is modestly priced. So many wedding venues in the Bay Area are wildly expensive, especially indoor venues. The Faculty Club is modestly priced with a variety of rooms, but I recommend The Great Hall - it's really spectacular but you have to get uplights or string lights or else it's really dark in there at night. Also, their space comes with table, chairs, tablecloths, cloth napkins and all dishes/silverware and drinkware so you don't have to rent anything if you don't want to. We rented fancy chairs and gold chargers but that was it. (All our decoration money went to candles and table greenery as you'll see in the pictures,) They have in house catering that you're required to use, We did their least expensive menu option which was only $55 a person and included hors d'oeuvres, salad and a plated entree. There is a catering minimum you have to meet, but if you get married off season (like we did in winter) you only have to meet half of the minimum. I didn't stay in one of the hotel rooms, but I got ready in one and took pictures - they were pretty stunning. Book room 222 if you can. Pictures by Nicole Blumberg Photography. read more

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We had a wedding here in Aug 2019 and it was perfect! The venue was more beautiful than I thought and the coordinators were great! We mostly worked with Erica and Gina and they were on top of everything! The inside of the great hall was a bit dark so we added some lighting from a preferred vendor (love in the mix), we also rented chairs and chargers from Stuart event rental who work with them regularly and they worked out great! read more

The Men's Faculty Club is an attractive and architecturally distinctive building, albeit a little dark for my taste. The most memorable event that I have attended here was a reception years ago for my son's grandfather (and retired UCB Professor) as part of Bancroft Library oral history project. I have also been here for other receptions, including a very moving Bat Mitzvah ceremony. If you want to get married here, there's the pretty glade that overlooks Strawberry creek, and inside the Great Hall and a nice smaller room upstairs. The Women's Faculty Club next door is also a nice option to consider. read more

Tonight we attended a friend's wedding reception at the Faculty Club. I had never been here before and was surprised to see how well it worked out for the celebration. The venue was practical, convenient and beautifully decorated. The party got started with appetizers and cocktail hour on the patio. The patio was clean, and lead to open paths surrounded by fresh cut grass and trees on campus. It set a very clean and natural tone. There was plenty of space on the patio for socializing and foot traffic. The wedding was somewhat rustic and earthy themed. The cabin like lodge suited the theme well and was nicely decorated. There was enough room to accommodate about 175 people and have a dance floor. The food was really good. We started with side salads and bread then had the option of NY steak, halibut or portobello mushrooms. My fiancé and I had the halibut and steak. Both dishes tasted very good. The halibut seasoned on top and cooked nice and flaky yet still moist. It was a pretty good portion served with mashed potatoes, carrots and green beans. The NY steak was tender and juicy. My fiance saw the the Faculty Club offers prime rib on Tuesdays and made a comment that if the Prime Rib is as good as the NY steak he'd be there every Tuesday! If you are looking for a small, rustic, easy to manage venue for a wedding this might be the place for you. Having the inside lodge for dinner and dancing and patio for other activities is convenient. Bathrooms are clean and just down the hall. You can also rent out rooms to store materials and change. The only con would be not having a lot of parking nearby. Guests would have to park on the streets and walk into the UCB campus. read more

Talk about a hidden gem for breakfast!! I like big portions. I like good service. I also like eating on a budget. All three of these things came together in one magical breakfast experience in the Kerr Dining Room at the Faculty Club. The menu has a variety of items, ALL for under $10 per plate. The best deal is definitely the T.F.C. Sunrise, which my friend Sarah S. ordered. It comes with 2 pancakes, eggs, a breakfast meat of your choice, home fries, toast, AND if all of that wasn't enough to entice you, juice. ALL FOR $7.50. They even had grapefruit juice as an option. They also offer omelettes with a choice of 3 fillings - I ordered one with smoked salmon, onions, and cheese. The smoked salmon was a tad bit fishy but the sauteed onions helped to mask it. I wish I'd ordered the T.F.C. Sunrise or The Golden Bear instead. The food comes out on a magnificently large white plate and you can delicately wipe your mouth on a cloth napkin while sitting in what feels like a log cabin/mansion. Aaaaaaaand basically the entire dining experience kind of takes you away from the clutter of campus life. I definitely plan on coming back! read more

Okay! It is quite true that anybody--students and the general public may come here to the Faculty Club. It is not exclusive to just the faculty of UC Berkeley. No, no, non! And I finally got to try the secret breakfast I have been hearing about. I was in the mood for an adventure, not to mention if the secret breakfast still existed for that unbelievably low price I read in another student's Yelp! review. And yes, it does Ladies and Gentlemen--it most certainly does. I do encourage you to find out for yourselves. I'll be back! read more

If you're vegan you probably don't want to get married at the Berkeley Faculty Club unless you want to be ironic. Their large reception area called the Great Hall has moose and deer heads and mounted antlers. It looks like an awesome hunting lodge and was designed (I think) by Bernard Maybeck in a distinctive Arts & Crafts style. I think that along with reserving the big reception area you get the adjacent small lounge with a fireplace. It's very cozy. The combined ceremony and reception costs (not including catering) is around $1800. They charge extra for lighting a fire in the fireplace, which you know can be taxing. Unfortunately the Berkeley Faculty Club has two things working against it: 1) They use in-house catering and require a 100 minimum guest list. Basically you have to pay for 100 people even if you only planned to invite 70. 2) Ceremonies are held on the Faculty Glade. Basically that's the lawn just outside which is only okay ambiance-wise. Since it's on the Berkeley campus anybody can walk by while your wedding is taking place. read more

My second stay here, both times for workshops at the journalism school. Will likely be my last. Place is rustic and quaint, which is great, and rooms are comfortable enough if fairly rundown. But the overall sense of hospitality as one would expect at major university faculty club is lacking. This was most clear this morning at breakfast. It takes a lot for me to complain about a meal, but charred black toast and eggs over that were burned on the outside and runny on the inside (turn the griddle temp down!) were enough. I mentioned my concerns to the waiter and his response was that that was the way they served them and "everyone loves them." Seriously. To his credit he did not charge me. I really liked my first stay but doubt there will be another. Pity. read more

Best place to eat on campus - thats not exactly high praise, but the faculty club does has decent food and a charming atmosphere. There is a formal dining room open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with good food and great service. At lunch, casual/cafeteria style dining is also an option. Oddly, the formal dining room doesn't occupy the best space. The tables in the great room (high ceilings, huge fireplace, very historic feel) are for the casual lunch diners. I love the great room, especially on a cold rainy day when there is a nice fire crackling away in the fireplace. When the weather is nice you can sit outside overlooking a very pretty little green space. The best option for casual food is the excellent salad bar. Alternatively, they will make you an average looking grilled sandwich or a very boring looking cold sandwich. The faculty club also has a bar which has excellent, friendly service and a good selection but a somewhat boring space. It is a nice place to bring people who are visiting campus and you don't have to be a member of the club to eat or drink here. read more

The Faculty Club - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have been very satisfied with this place. I've been invited for lunch twice here. Once in the cafeteria area, and the second time in their restaurant/bar area. Both times the head of my lab paid for everyone. He was very generous to do this and the food was yummy. The ambiance is also very cool in that it pretty classy but forestry as well. It's hard to explain. The service we had here was also great. It's also cool how everyone here knows my PI. read more

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All in, after taxes and such, a simple room in this historic Craftsman style building is $135 or $155 per night, depending on whether or not you want a private bath. The place is quiet, sleepy, erudite, with good coffee on the days they brew. $18 will get you a parking pass if you have a car to permit. read more

I've had the honor of having dinner at the Kerr Dining Room two times (luckily, all courtesy of an organization on campus). Both meals were absolutely delectable. My most recent meal was the lamb with fig sauce. The lamb was cooked to perfection, completely tender and juicy. Lamb is especially hard to cook because it can be gamier than beef, but this one was perfection! The fig sauce was a perfect compliment to the savory main. I also had the blood and sand cocktail, which to be perfectly honest, tasted bland for a cocktail, but if you enjoy the taste of liquor, you wouldn't complain. I have also tried several desserts. My favorite thus far was the mango flan. Okay, my mom makes the best flan, but this was a good competitor. The mango was a perfect combination of sweet and tart, paired with a caramelized flan. Yum! Though, I have to note the Kerr Dining Room is pricey. Entrees are in the $20-$30 range. If you have the ability to splurge, do it! read more

Michelle Viscarra, event coordinator at the Faculty Club, Amy Lovlien, our wedding planner and Dan Rosenbach, our DJ and sound/lighting pro helped us make our daughter's wedding on 8/3/13 a wonderful, beautiful, fun and magical celebration. We could not be happier. We recommend all three of them. The setting is, of course, very special and all staff most courteous and helpful. The banquet tastings were disappointing to us, but the food was actually very tasty and well prepared and presented on the wedding night. Amy, Dan of Love in the Mix, and Michelle were all very professional, friendly, patient, responsive by email and accommodating. Thank you for a memorable event! read more

The Faculty Club - The Great Hall ready for the wedding party. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Good lunch and good happy hour. I've been the the Faculty Club several times for lunch and happy hour. For lunch, they usually have a simple menu of appetizers, seasonal main courses, and dessert. Everything I have tried has been pretty good. For happy hour they have appetizers like veggie rolls and sweet potato fries, and of course, beer pitchers. Service is friendly and attentive. It is sometimes tricky to find the dining room, but a little searching and wandering should be enough. I have not tried breakfast yet, so I will have to check it out. read more

Attend a friend's wedding here. It was a little difficult to find the place but inside is pretty nice. The staff are friendly. Food wise, it was ok. Nothing really screamed out to me - Salmon - a little on the dry side - steak - it was decent - Samosa - not a typical samosa - Cookie & brownie - the brownie was good - Fruit plate - they did a good job here read more

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We went to a wedding here in November and had a lovely time. Instead of driving, we decided to use an Uber, it was cheap and we were able to relax on the way home. What made me want to write a review was my experience with the staff. I needed to nurse my 6 month old daughter and asked if a private room was available. Without hesitation both staff members ushered me two rooms and let me choose which one I would be more comfortable in for the evening. Both rooms were clean, private, able to lock from the inside and had seating. I felt extremely welcomed and staff members were incredibly friendly! Thank you!! read more

I would say that, looking at the previous reviews, the facility has suffered since the virus lockdowns. We stayed there for two nights: no food service, limited staff, dark rooms, one light without a switch. Got stung by something nasty on the first night in the bed. The shower was good. The staff that were there were very nice. Overall, the location is convenient, but I can't say much else for it. I would look elsewhere next time. read more

My wedding nightmare at the Faculty Club... About 5 months ago I got married at the Faculty Club. Up until the day of our wedding I felt relatively confident about the staff at the venue we picked to host the most important day of our lives thus far. The day of coordinator at the time seemed distant, but relatively competent. I was sure wrong. I thought that if I waited to write this review, I would feel better about my choice to host my wedding at The Faculty Club. After the many flubs of the day I learned that this coordinator, Michelle, had another job lined up and apparently felt no compassion to help insure that my special day go off with a hitch. The many unfortunate issues surrounding my wedding kicked off with the serving staff demanding cash/tips from my groom at our rehearsal dinner. As a server at a catering company myself I was shocked when they were so demanding and aggressive with the bride and groom the evening before our wedding. That same evening we were shown the parking passes for the parking structure under the tennis courts. The timing on these passes was at 4pm even though our wedding started at 3:30. This was a concern to my mother and mother-in-law who were the first to see these parking passes - Michelle assured us that the passes were good all day and didn't need to be re-printed. What Michelle neglected to tell us was that there was a tennis tournament that same day and the signs hung in the parking structure also said 4pm. So most of the 40 parking spaces I pre-paid for were occupied by families attending the tennis tournament who read the signs and parked in my spots until 4pm (when my ceremony was almost over). Many guests at my wedding were unable to access these spots I paid for and parked elsewhere and several received parking tickets. Before my ceremony started we had 30 minutes where wine was served to my guests that were waiting for the ceremony to start. The bar staff claims that in 30 minutes my guests drank 74 bottles of wine and tried to charge an extra $2400 in wine. We paid per person for the evening AND by consumption. I don't know how they felt comfortable charging for both... There is no way that each of my guests consumed 74 bottles of wine in that short of a time. It was a party, but it was not a drunken diaster. The staff at the faculty club for my reception also threw away all the extra cake and cupcakes that were uneaten instead of saving them for me and my family. I never even got to try my own wedding cake because the staff was in a hurry and decided to throw the extras out. Approximately 3 dozen cupcakes were also thrown away in addition to my beautiful cake. I would have loved a little box with 2 slices for my husband and I to have enjoyed. I wasn't hard to miss - I was the lady in the pretty white dress..... They also threw away my extra wedding favors left behind by guests instead of putting them with the rest of my stuff. I don't know who justifies throwing away glass mason jars, but the staff at the Faculty Club didn't care to take an extra moment and do the right thing. After several attempts to contact the manager at the Faculty Club, Felix, with MULTIPLE emails with no reply and several phone messages unreturned I certainly feel defeated. I can never get my perfect day, but maybe this can help you avoid the pain I suffered at the hands of the Faculty Club. The food was good and it was a beautiful January day. but you've been warned! Do not do business with The Faculty Club or Felix. To this day he has never offered an apology. read more

STUDENTS - here's a secret - YOU, yes YOU can eat at the Faculty Club! Most students just walk on by, but it's actually become one of my favorite places to eat breakfast in Berkeley. My sister showed me this place when I got accepted to Cal and I've been bringing people back since. It's one of the campus's best kept secrets. So I know you're thinking that it's not all that awesome of a secret. But I haven't told you about the breakfast that costs less than your morning mocha from Strada. That's right. Breakfast. $3.75. Two eggs, grilled potatoes, fresh fruit, coffee, orange juice, and toast. Cloth napkins, multiple pieces of silverware, waiter service. Just remember, ask for THE SPECIAL. It's not on any menu's. And that, my friends, is the big secret. The only thing I have to complain about is the waiter who works there. I've been back to the faculty club several times and he keeps giving me the stink eye - I think he resents annoying students in his prissy turf, but go anyway. Best deal on a classy breakfast anywhere. read more

This is the strangest place I never ate at. A week or so ago I went to the faculty club to see some artwork and learned that they had hotel rooms and a restaurant. I checked out the hotel rooms but decided to stop back later to scope out the restaurant for our family graduation celebration. When I returned this week, having never eaten there, I approached the cashier by the cafeteria and asked if there was a formal dining room. She said yes and pointed me to a rear room. I approached the rear room and asked for seating for one for lunch. The waiter said, "Did you have a reservation?" and I told him no. "There's no room." Which was a strange answer, so I asked, "Okay, how do I make a reservation." He answered, "There's no room." At which point I thought to myself, maybe they just don't want me to eat here. "Unless you want to book a larger party." I explained that's what I was trying to do. He apologized and led me to their events manager. I explained my situation to the events manager who kindly showed me the available rooms, which were appealing but a bit small for our purposes. However, I STILL needed to make a reservation to determine if I even WANTED to bring people there. I began to tell her, "I'd like to sample the food beforehand...." She replied, "Well we don't have tastings." I said, "Of course, but HOW do I make a reservation." She replied, "You have to go the front desk," and she says her goodbyes quickly to me. The front desk is the hotel front desk, so how would I know to book a reservation there versus in the dining room? After all this, I spoke with my husband who said it didn't sound like a place he'd like to go. I had to agree. I called the club to cancel my lunch reservation. The fellow asked me, "What name is it under?" I stated then spelled out my last name. He said, "Yes, but we'll need the name it's booked under." I stated then spelled out my name again. "The name?" he asks. I stated my last name firmly. "I'll cancel that for you." Good. After this experience, we determined NOT to make reservations at the hotel for a well-deserved getaway, so all-in-all they lost one lunch, one dinner for 20 people, and four nights accommodations. read more

I've been a member for a long time, and I've come to love the place. It's not perfect, but it has a lot going for it. It's an exceptional institution to which the word "unique" easily applies. The Faculty Club is a private club that operates on the UC Berkeley campus. The building and grounds belong to the Regents, but the Club itself (meaning its governing board and Managers) controls what goes on inside its doors. Believe me, there's a lot going on. The Faculty Club has hotel rooms, a bar, a formal dining room (the Kerr), a large open area (the Great Hall) for banquets and for casual dining at lunch during the week, and numerous other rooms scattered about. It hosts weddings, bar mitzvahs, corporate recruiting events, memorials for fallen campus warriors, private diners for seminar speakers -- you name it. A tremendous number of meals are served every week. Come on a football Saturday, and the place is mobbed with alumni and other fans. Not every sandwich here is a perfect sandwich. I personally don't like the waffled French fries that everyone raves about. (OK, I do eat them sometimes.) But the average quality is very high, especially considering the huge activity at peak times. The best dishes I've had here have been exceptional. There's a bronze plaque on at least one of the front doors: "For members and their guests." If you simply want to come in for a meal during the week, you can safely ignore the plaque. You're more than welcome to look around and partake of the Club's offerings. If you're not a member, it's best if you bring cash. Credit cards are actually accepted, but the process of making a credit-card payment here is highly cumbersome. Let's say that you want to come for lunch. You can eat in the Kerr Dining Room or in the bar (which accesses the same menu), but it's best to reserve in advance in that case. Otherwise, you enter the "salad bar" area near the center of the Club, grab a tray and some silverware, and evaluate your choices. The most standard thing to do is to eat a salad from the salad bar; the items that are available argue for an extremely expanded definition of the word "salad" -- sushi sometimes shows up, as do oysters, barbecued chicken wings and legs, and all sorts of other stuff. You won't go away hungry. If you don't go for the salad, you can get a classic cold sandwich at the sandwich bar or a hamburger or hot sandwich at the grill area. There are also hot main dishes ("entrees" as one says in America), two per day; they're served with basmati rice and some vegetables. For $8, you can get the "buffet": a hot main dish with its rice and veggies plus a smal salad plate that you can heap with salads or "salads," depending on your appetite. As I said, you won't go away hungry. Oh yes, there's also soup. Membership has its privileges. If you're a (dues-paying) member, you get a discount on food that you purchase during the week and also have the opportunity to sign up for special members' events like the two huge winetastings/buffets that are given each year (one in May and one in September), the Mother's Day brunch, the annual Crab Feed, and the annual Indian dinner (organized by Manager Felix Solomon, who really knows his Indian food). There are winemaker's dinners from time to time. You can find a list of members' events at the Club web site http://www.berkeleyfacultyclub.com/ . Anyone associated with the University can become a member. That includes UC Berkeley alumni -- in fact, there are a lot of alumni members. read more

I always thought of the Faculty Club being hoity-toity and very expensive, since all of my previous meals here had been for meals during interviews or during club/association dinners. (Not to mention, a club of faculty members usually brings to mind an image of lots of professors coming together to shell out some serious dough on a really nice meal.) Fortunately, the Faculty Club is very affordable! It took me 3 years before I had heard about the special breakfast they serve for $3.50 ($5 total, including tax and tip). It comes with juice and coffee/tea and a huge plate that has 2 eggs served the way you want 'em, 4 slices of toast, a side of house potatoes, and a good amount of fruit. Why spend $4 on a cup of coffee when you can have an entire meal AND coffee here at the Faculty Club? Every month, there's always at least one special going on. This month's early bird menu had an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $13.99. Although the beef and barley soup didn't sound that appetizing, it had a real strong kick to it like a hearty bowl of chili. And the entrée was a choice between five big slices of beef brisket or a roasted cod filet with mashed potatoes. And lastly, don't forget about their prime rib dinners for $15.95 every second Tuesday of the month! It comes with a soup or salad and one of the tenderest slices of prime rib that I've had the pleasure of eating. Coffee and dessert aren't included, but it's still a delicious bargain for some quality food. read more

I am very mixed about reviewing The Faculty Club, I had my wedding here in July, and I had an amazing time! We were married on the glade and our reception was in the Great Hall. We had 100 people and I think that is the maximum to keep yourself in the hall. The servers were all very professional and courteous, I thought they did a great job. We didn't even have to decorate because of the beautiful architecture and dark wood. It really is all you need. I didn't even mind the moose head. The reason I am giving three stars is because of two things, Kenna, the event manager, and the parking situation. Kenna seems to have worked there for quite some time, but is very absentminded about her job. She never remembered who we were, and made me panic several times, almost seeming to have double booked the venue. Kenna would make suggestions, like having the dance floor in the middle of the room, and when I would agree, she would change her mind and say it couldn't be done. My husband ended up having to deal with her for most decisions, because she would listen to him. Parking was ridiculous. It is owned by the university, and they clearly don't get along with The Faculty Club. For both the rehearsal and the wedding, we had a huge headache with the parking attendant and the permits needed. Several family members received tickets, and we ended up sending Kenna down at one point to try and straighten the problems out. Several of our guests missed the ceremony because they were dealing with the morons who were working parking. It was really frustrating. So, I have a very mixed review, I loved my wedding, and I believe every venue has its own bizarre quirks, you just have to decide if these are the problems you can put up with for your wedding. read more

Love coming to the bar at The Faculty Club. The bartender (Fernando I believe) is very professional and friendly. Provided some amazing cocktails and good conversation. Definitely try the tacos on Tuesday! read more

I went to Cal for undergrad and didn't know that I could step foot in the Faculty Club until I started graduate school and ventured into this place with some classmates. A decision my stomach will be eternally grateful for! Best burger in Berkeley! The criss-cut (waffle) fries and burgers are heavenly. It may seem like your normal, run-of-the-mill burger, but I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

This review is for the Faculty Club as a wedding venue. The staff, bartenders and kitchen truly deserve 5 stars. The wedding could not have gone any better for me and Anita. It was truly a special day. The fact that it fit just within our budget absolutely sealed the deal. So why three stars overall? Money drama. We signed our event order almost a year in advance. We would pay a flat rate for food, booze and venue. Then a few months before the wedding, buried in an info packet was their new cocktail offerings which were ala-carte (and much more expensive). Additionally there was a changed policy about discounts for club members. All this added lots of uncomfortable phone calls, stress and money worries. There were invoices and estimates that had to be checked and double checked by myself. Eventually we sorted most of it out, but I was quite upset that we had to renegotiate terms just a few months before the wedding. If the club needs to generate more revenue I get it, but really, you need to honor your agreements with your guests. Anything else is bad business. So again--GREAT job with the big day, but I highly recommend prospective couples get early estimates signed and dated by the club so there is no confusion later on. read more

I recently ate at the faculty club on the Cal campus. It's open to the general public. I ordered an impossible burger. I've enjoyed it two times before, once at a golf club and once at Burger King. Both times, it was really good but I could tell it was not beef. This time, at the faculty club, they cooked it medium and boy, was it good in fact, it was the best burger I've eaten in a long time, meat or faux meat! It was so good that I forgot to add any catsup nor mustard. It was just the bun, patty, onions, tomato, and pickles. And this time, I could not tell it was not meat. I also ordered the Manhattan clam chowder but it was only ok. The waiter was friendly but made a few minor mistakes with the orders from the four of us. read more

What a pleasant meal! Thanks to Kenneth R. for the treat and Jennifer W. and Kumar for the company. It was a terrific meal on a nice sunny day. The food: After much hesitation I decided to go with my healthy gut (versus my unhealthy one...) and order from the healthy salad bar. The bar was littered with a wide selection of salads (no Fresh Choice though of course). I think I counted 4 or 5 choices. They also offered chicken wings, fruit salad, cottage cheese, and single ingredients to create your own custom salad. I forget the names, but the stand out for me was the teriyaki beef salad. OMG. This was so good! Cubes of perfectly tender beef lightly flavored in teriyaki, matched with fresh spinach, carrots, and other greens. Tasted gourmet. And who would've thought, beef with salad. Very nice. There was also another really good salad, but I forget the name! The potato salad was also satisfying. I was totally feeling like something "potato" and boy did I get it. mm. Mayo, eggs, potato. Simple and wonderful. Also talk about service. I am definitely going back! + You don't need to bus your trays. How great is that. + Great company with all the professors and scholars around! + Good prices. read more

We had our 2004 wedding here in the Heyns room (the smaller of the two event spaces). The Heyns room has a distinctively different feel than the larger hunt style space complete w/ animal heads! The Heyns room and adjoining patio are light and airy w/ beautiful art deco wall art. Our ceremony was held outside on the glade (a grassy area surrounded by trees). We loved the location since it was so beautiful and at the time we got married it was very affordable (about the same price as a community center). We used the in-house catering and everyone agreed it was the best wedding food they'd ever had! The service was also excellent...our guests' glasses were never empty! The only reason I gave 4 out of 5 stars is because the day before our event the event manager told us that we couldn't use the garage that we'd already told our guests to go to. They posted signs but some of our guests still parked there and received tickets! Overall we were thrilled with our wedding, but thought the parking situation should have been handled better. read more