The food and service are excellent, and[[HIGHLIGHT]] the ambience is breathtaking[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]].-----------------------------------

Walnut Square is an enigma. I mean, it's a magical spot. The fact that there have been and continue to be unique, independent shops tucked in there for all these years reflect the wonderful North Berkeley ethos that I absolutely love. This location has had different management over the years and this was my first time in at the Walnut Tavern and Bar. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is excellent. It is cozy and intimate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The black coffee is excellent. And my kids liked the sliders a lot. I was very disappointed by the tofu scramble. Note: it also contains eggs! Lucky I'm not vegan but I wasn't expecting that. The veggies listed didn't make it in the scramble, and the "seasonal veggies" were zucchini and yellow squash. Not the veggies I'd like in a scramble, or expect. It also had no seasoning. It was really not good. They were kind enough to refund me. But it was an unfortunate first encounter. I wonder if the regular egg scramble dishes taste better. I may have picked the one thing on the menu that is no good. But didn't leave a thrilling impression. So I could go back for coffee and sliders and maybe cake. read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - Sliders and fries. - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Decided to come here because they offer reservations for brunch on a Sunday. With toddlers in tow, waiting is basically not an option. Street parking was a bit limited. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was nice, quiet, and chill.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Although the floors were a bit sticky, the place overall clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was a bit slow. But because it was a leisurely brunch with the family, it didn't bother us at all. Our service was pleasant and very thoughtful. Some of us ordered ahead while still waiting on a couple of folks to join us. Our server took the initiative and had the kitchen fire up the food for the kiddos first so they can be taken care of. The rest of the orders came all together once the entire group's order was placed. That was very much appreciated! The food was very good! The Steak sandwich, Tavern BLT, and Berkeley scramble were good. The chicken and waffle was a fave! The chicken was crispy on the outside, juice on the inside and flavorful. The steamed mussels entree was also a hit! The sauce was rich and savory! It was an enjoyable dining experience for all. read more

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We stopped by this tavern for lunch and got the short rib burger. The beef patty was very juicy and the blue cheese added a great kick.

The food was so good. The service was quick and the staff is so nice. The food came out all at once and the mashed potatoes were so creamy. Their wings were really good and the gnocchi was interesting to try. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I came for lunch, it was not crowded.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The vibes were really sweet.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]They had a fireplace on the tv in the background to give it a homey vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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A Berkeley gem! The food was delicious and the staff were very welcoming. Will definitely go back!

Walnut Square is a cool little shopping and eating inlet in Berkeley's gourmet ghetto. At the west edge of the square you'll find Walnut Tavern. Dined here for brunch and enjoyed it quite a bit. They have a nice menu combination of breakfast and lunch items. I chose both! The steak sandwich and a waffle. I know, gluttony. The steak sando was on ciabatta bread and cooked perfectly. I asked for medium and that's how it came. Steak fries usually not my thing but these were crispy and seasoned enough. The waffle loses points because it was soft and had no crispness at all. And the syrup was the fake maple. They improve that and it's a winner. The last dish was the Mom's eggs Benedict which comes with ham. Hash browns were thin and crispy... perfect. And the atmosphere of this little tavern is great. Natural light. Woody. And a bar. Makes me want to come here to watch a Cal game. Service was a little spotty. Nice enough but kind of slow and didn't quite get my order right. read more

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Great food, lamb was cooked perfection, the roasted chicken was flavorful, must try calamari. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice quiet location and service was great[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] .Will definitely go back. read more

We found another new spot to go to and it was on NY eve. We made reservations just in case it was busy which is wasn't. We ordered a few drinks and appetizers right away. A few red wines which were really good, and a mixed vodka drink that was delicious as well. Our apps were fish tacos, and the momo platter. The fish was lightly coated and light, very good. The momo's were cooked perfect, great flavor in the beef and chicken, and the sauce was a good compliment. For our entrees we ordered the Steak, Shrimp Scampi, and the burger. The steak was a little over cooked, it should've been med rare, but it was almost well done. The scampi was really good, first time I've had a scampi with a red sauce. The pasta was good perfect, the sauce had so much flavor to it, and the shrimp was also cooked perfect. The burger was really good as well, perfect bread ration to meat, and it was cooked perfect. Also, the fries are good, cooked crispy like I liked. We didn't order any dessert because we we're too full. :). [[HIGHLIGHT]]There was plenty of seating inside, due to the rain, we didn't see the upstairs patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was really good, kudos to the staff. I would've given a 5 star but the steak was over cooked. I'll be back again. read more

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Came here for drinks and dinner with a friend after my haircut next door. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice upstairs outdoor patio and cozy indoor areas.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We enjoyed the sun setting and fresh air with our food and drinks.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I had a chicken club sandwich with fries and she had chicken fettuccine. We also had the spicy margarita and Malibu mule. Drinks were really yummy and food hit the spot. Service was friendly and attentive. We enjoyed our evening. Would be fun to come back! read more

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Fantastic brunch, the mussels and chicken sandwich were stand outs and eggs were poached perfectly. Was really happy with our cocktails, particularly Enzo's Elegance. Will definitely return. read more

What an amazing find for a delicious Friday evening meal. We made a reservation which I would highly recommend as there are limited seats in this cozy pub like environment. When we arrived, we were seated promptly, and it was obvious everyone was enjoying their evening. The options for food were varied, and had several super interesting appetizers on the menu. We chose to try a flatbread with feta and Sriracha, honey, and an order of veggie Momos, which are a Himalayan delight. They were perfectly cooked with a lot of fresh ingredients that were delightful. Our main course was a veggie root vegetable curry type dish, which had such an amazing aroma and a variety of perfectly flavored veggies. I would highly recommend this option for a casual and yet delicious evening out . It was reasonably priced for what you received, and the food was perfectly cooked with amazing flavor. A wonderful find! read more

"Walnut Tavern" seems like a perfectly fitting name for the overall ambiance. The lighting, windows and wood details create an upscale, cozy feeling. The menu has good variety. Our party of 6 ordered warm olives and calamari to share. The olives were the stand-out and amazing (I almost got a serving order). The two salads were good, and eaten as meals, the burgers were good and satisfying. They came with salad or fries. I would opt for the salad next time since the fries were the kind with a crumbly coating which I don't enjoy. The Root Vegetable blend with spicy tomato coulis was delicious. We were well taken care of by our servers who were attentive but also gave us space. I'd love to return read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - Sweet and Savory Root Vegetable Blend - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I made an advanced reservation for a nice Valentine's Day dinner but were escorted to a table in the back, facing the kitchen on one side, a utensil table on the other, a work table on another.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Unlike all the other tables, we had no rose on the table and clearly was not set up for use.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Manhattan drinks had cheap fake cherries. Pork chop was tough and chicken was small, rubbery, and dry. read more

Momo platter was awesome. The Shrimp Gambas were so good. The service was friendly and the entrees came out fast. I had the half chicken and my companion had the strip steak. The gnocchi was perfection and the steak (cooked medium) and chicken (flavorful and succulent not overcooked at all) were both well executed and well seasoned. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is definitely tavern style shabby chic, and it looks like it's a local gem.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Has a well stocked bar, but I didn't order a drink this go-round. Now I have an excuse to return. Can't wait. read more

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The patio was nice on a warm sunny day in May. The inside was charming too but we wanted sun. The service was slow enough that you could have a lengthy conversation. It might have just been that the patio is out of the way. As a result you had to catch people for service when you saw them there for others. For the price I would have expected the food to be better. It was not bad but did not have the presentation or unique flavor you might expect for the price. All in all it was an ok experience. read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - Roasted herb marinated 1/2 chicken - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fabulously intimate space (which was a breakfast joint back in the day that I used to frequent with fam), so old school Bay Area roots continue, not to mention next door to the original Pete's Berkely! Big shoes to fill were filled rather nicely with a start of the freshest most tender calamari friti. On to the umami wings: a beautifully naughty sesame seed laden monstrosity which was devoured with sticky fingered fanfare. Amazingly delicious short rib burger was a perfect medium and hot and juicy as ever, and the star of the show was a delectable seafood stew which, though lacking the hat nod of a remoulade on the toast, had more than enough fish stock umami and garlic notes to make up for it. Service was a bit off in timing and foresight albeit courteous and accommodating for shared entrees. Those 3 star reviews must have been on a really off night because our meal (crazy panhandler inside for a brief moment, included) was a 4 star soirée of delectability and did not disappoint! read more

Great location and food. We just discovered this place and gave it a try. It's only been open for about six months. This place is nested in a small group of stores, businesses and cafes. There's rooftop seating which gives you a nice view of the Bay. Great place to hang on a beautiful afternoon or evening. After, you can do some shopping or stroll around the neighborhood. We ordered the ground short rib burger without the bun and the grilled chicken sandwich. Friendly staff and service. Like many places, we felt the prices were a bit high. We'll offset this next time by sharing plates. read more

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Tried this new restaurant in Berkeley. It's located in a residential neighborhood. The ambiance is nice with a bar in the front. Service is attentive. Shared two apps and one entree. The rack of lamb is tender and delish although a bit small. Had to send the pork belly back which was not good. Pleasantly surprised by the feta & sriracha flat bread. Very tasty. Overall, it's a decent restaurant. Not amazing but pretty decent. read more

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The ambiance was very nice and warm. We were greeted and seated right away. The menu offered enough choices and the food we ordered was very tasty and plated well. The portions were fair and the value was good. The service was very attentive and very friendly and warm. We had the lamb chops, the quinoa salad with salmon, the chicken sandwich, and the scampi pasta. The desserts were delicious- flourless chocolate cake and the lemon cake. We had a good time and we'll be back! read more

Amazing restaurant in North Berkeley that is easy to find, plenty of on street parking and offers a tremendous value in food and drinks. Had dinner last night on the rooftop terrace, which was perfect given the warm temperatures. We started with cocktails and the calamari appetizer. The calamari was perfectly fried, crispy outside while moist and tender inside. For entrees we had the rack of lamb, Mac n cheese, short rib and club sandwiches. Salads were ok, not great. All very good. The cocktails were all tasty and generous pours. The wine list is small but also perfect for the entrees served. recommend the French red wine blend. Service was also on point , attentive but not over bearing. Look forward to coming back and trying more of the menu items. read more

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The food is excellent. Service was pleasant. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance was awful. The music was blaring hip hop with very inappropriate lyrics the entire time I was eating - misogynist and F this and F that![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Read your crowd people! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Everyone in the shop was over 60. The music should not be for the bartenders pleasure. It should set a mood for the meal. This is a neighborhood full of older adults and families.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'm sure you could find some music that would work. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I used to come here a few days a week before my job moved across town.Back then, they never played that kind of music or I would never have been a "regular"[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. read more

Really liked this place, small and cozy! Food was really good and so was the service had a decent wine selection. The chocolate tart was amazing! read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - Chicken Alfredo - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

After seeing that the Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill, had a lesser wait time compared to the other brunch spots around the area, my party of 5 and I decided to eat here. Upon arriving, the space is huge with booth seats in the indoor eating area and tables& chairs with umbrellas. After being seated, there was another party of 12 I believe that was still waiting to get all of food after waiting a while. I overheard that the kitchen has one chef and they like to have food served at the same time. I think the idea of getting food served at the same time is nice because everyone can eat at the same time. However, that can cause food to later come out soggy or lukewarm. We got there at 12:12 and was seated at 12:20, and received our food by 1:07. To be waiting that long while super hungry was kind of upsetting to say the least and then to have the food come out lukewarm and soggy is frustrating. I ordered their red & green Benedict's: the muffin was already soggy and soft by the time that it came to the table as it's been sitting in the hollandaise sauce for a while. It lacked in flavor, in my opinion and the side of country potatoes were salty. My sister wanted to order their rib eye omu rice but our waitress stated that they ran out. So she opted for a tomato heirloom and burrata salad instead. For $16, I would think that they would give you a decent size of burrata but we got half. It was mostly arugula salad with a couple of tomato wedges. We had our pupperoo with us for brunch, and had ordered one single pancake and a side of scrambled eggs WITH NO SEASONING. The waiter came back with a PANCAKE STACK that has powder and berries on it and scrambled eggs WITH SEASONING. The rest of my parties food was okay. Nothing too spectacular considering we waited about 40 mins to get them. I did feel bad for the waiter. I think if the place was going to start to serve brunch that they should expect the place to have more people come and have a quicker service because getting lukewarm food while waiting so long for it was unsatisfactory. I wish they had more shaded seats because the umbrellas they had even though provided SOME shade kept moving around making it somewhat unstable and nerve-wracking while eating. The waiter that helped us was really trying his best, so I want to say thank you for that. Going forward, I do hope that they have a quicker service to get food out. read more

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Went for a birthday lunch. Ordered a pasta dish with salad and appetizer and my friend ordered the chicken. All tasty. Service and cocktails were yummy. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Big place but there were only a couple parties there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Only negative was glassware was served with a chip/crack. read more

A peaceful delicious and gracious respite from the business at Cal with utterly fresh and flavorful food-I enjoyed the calamari with a fresh slightly spicy cocktail sauce as well as a burrata and tomato salad. It's the end of season for tomatoes but they weren't mealy or overripe! read more

I was looking for a delicious, comfort food filled evening and this was exactly that! The food was delicious- I had the shrimp scampi, bread and butter and house salad! Can't wait to come back and try other things! And everything was so good and plentiful! read more

Update: came back here and ordered some of the same items. Very disappointing food quality and service. Was hoping to make this one of our regular neighborhood spots, but don't think we'll be coming back. Medium meat orders (steak and lamb) both came out extra well done and waitress response was OK I'll let the kitchen know with no follow up. It's disappointing to spend ~$50 per entree to get something much worse than what I could make at home. read more

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Saturday July 26th 7pm Met Karen & Virgis. Karen ordered the spicy wings & fried calamari telling the server we might order more afterwards (I had mentioned the burger & she the momos) Virgis had a Margarita, Karen an Old Fashioned me a Modelo. The food was ok wings had a slightly weird flavor for me (Virgis loved them) & the fried calamari better as long as I ate them before they cooled off and got less crunchy. Then to our suprise the server brought the blue cheese burger with fries & momos. I looked at Karen who also was wondering why we got these? We declined to send them back & decided to let them know after we paid the bill over $100. The woman server apologized but that was the extent of their compensation for this mistaken order. The burger was dry and the blue cheese dominated the taste....I'd never had blue cheese burger for that very reason....However the fries coated in rice flour were the best thing we had...they stayed crunchy during the whole meal. I'd come back for those & if they could put American or Cheddar & grill it to keep it juicier I"d give it another go. (BTW I was too full to try the momos but K & V liked them.) read more

stopped by on a recent Friday well before any crowd but the staff were distracted or something. The drinks order was wrong, incomplete, how hard is it to count to 2? Then the app came out w the entree after I specifically asked that we wait. It never got better. The food is nice but overpriced. read more

Favorite neighborhood restaurant. Which is saying something when you live and work in the gourmet ghetto! Friendly team, hospitable bartender, chefs and owner, every plate is delicious, [[HIGHLIGHT]]lively but cozy atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], reasonable prices. But the real test is just that I have the HARDEST time stopping myself from licking every plate ! All the sauces on EVERYTHING are just so delicious. If it was in my own house I would be licking the plate, and the spoon, and the pan... read more

Came here with my family and had a satisfying experience at Walnut Tavern. They offer a unique blend of flavors that surprised me- especially the fusion dishes that incorporated Himalayan & Nepalese influences. The ambiance was decent, though not particularly remarkable unless you're sitting on 2nd floor deck where there's a distant bay view, providing a relaxed setting for a casual meal. We didn't get a chance to sit out there that day because it wasn't offered that night. I ordered the Grilled Rack of Lamb (4/5) - the herb crust on the lamb was tasty especially with the au jus, but just felt like something was missing.. Other members in my family ordered the Root Vegetable Blend, Impossible Burger (cute plating!), and Shrimp Scampi. While the menu was enjoyable, I found it somewhat limited in options, however, the customer service was commendable--attentive and friendly staff. Overall, Walnut Tavern earns a solid 4 stars from me. If you're in the mood to explore new flavors in North Berkeley and want a cute little restaurant with friendly service, this spot is worth a visit. read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

We came here for Sunday brunch and it was just a lot of misses all around for our party. The grilled veggie panini was not grilled or a panini at all - we asked about it and our waiter said "that's how [we] do paninis - it's just a sandwich". But that's not what a grilled panini is - it's supposed to be a hot sandwich, not cold. They offered to give her bread that was toasted instead but she had to swap out the bread on the sandwich herself. The fried chicken and waffles came with what looked like extra large chicken McNuggets from McDonalds - an unnatural shape. The steak sandwich I'm told was "meh", and the burger meat tasted "funny" and my Pacific Benedict was smothered in hollandaise sauce instead of on the side as I'd requested and also was meh. We also had to ask for refills of water. On top of that we didn't find out until the bill came that it was an automatic 20% tip for 5 or more people. Normally we wouldn't mind but this experience definitely did not warrant that amount. Anyway, first and last time we ever go here. So disappointing. read more

Very horrible experience young male waiter was very rude and aggressive because he messed up my order !!! I waited over 40 minutes for them to understand what a egg white is when it got to me it wasn't even satisfying plus he went to other guests explaining what went wrong at my table which is so very unprofessional I suggest not going there. read more

We visited during happy hour on a Wednesday. The restaurant has a cozy ambiance, with comfortable booths and soft lighting. While they have a rooftop dining section, the weather was too cold for us to sit outside that day, though the photos of it are very appealing. My drink was quite good, and the service was fantastic. However, the food didn't quite meet my expectations. We ordered the pork belly sekuwa, the fish and chips, and the short rib burger. The pork belly was a standout, bursting with delicious flavors. However, the fish was disappointing--it was soggy, the batter felt off, and it badly lacked seasoning. The coleslaw was bland and overdressed. On a positive note, the fries were nicely seasoned and crispy. The short rib burger started off flavorful, but I soon noticed that it didn't taste evenly seasoned, leading to some bland bites. Despite this, it was juicy and cooked perfectly. The side salad with the burger was one note and needed some acidity in the dressing. I'm uncertain if I would return, but I must admit that the menu offers a variety of appealing options that may be more to my taste. It's possible that I simply chose the wrong dish on this occasion. read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - Pork Belly Sekuwa, Cal Bear Cocktail, IPA - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Very good food at a good price - we were impressed and will return. Service was a bit slow but the place was packed so it was understandable. Staff friendly and helpful - not a bad thing to say. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cozy restaurant too, very comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This is a quaint restaurant deep into Berkeley off I-80. It was unexpectedly warm for Berkeley and the restaurant indoors was warm so we chose to be seated on the rooftop which included a canvas awning. It was hot during lunch but I'm sure this is rare - could have used some portable fans. We were a party of 7 and the waiter was very accommodating. I ate the Walnut Tavern club sandwich and it was so delicious, but the FRIES are to die for! The fries have that little something extra that makes them crunchy on the outside. And the restaurant was sweet to give our two birthday guests two scoops each of orange sorbet with candles. We appreciated that the street parking in this neighborhood are 3 hour meters as we drove in from out of town and arrived 30 minutes early. It's typical street parking where spots are few and far between and some walking will be required. For lunch we got pretty lucky and parked close by. I will return if I'm in Berkeley again. read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - Walnut Tavern Club - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a warm, inviting place -- friendly staff, cozy atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The burger was delicious. The chicken wings were messy, but succulent. The chicken sandwich was flavorful. We didn't have drinks for lunch, but the full bar is another reason to come for dinner! read more

New restaurant in North Berkeley, we've been anticipating its opening for a while. It only deserves two stars at this time. I think it will improve... but. One star is for service, one star is for ambiance. What's missing? K had Fish & Chips, they were OK. I had the Fisherman's Stew, which was mostly overcooked shrimp. There must have been other seafood it, but remarkably little. At least the tough shrimp gave me something to chew on. Bread and butter did not come with the table but only Crostini at an additional charge. Too bad: the broth of the Fisherman's Stew was flavorful but impossible to soak up with Crostini. A very generous D for Dessert. K had a lovely Lemon Cake, mine was an Apple Tart which should not have been let out of the kitchen. While the filling was tasty, the pastry (which makes it a tart,) was raw. I suppose they forgot to bake the Tart. Someone might reconsider their career choice. Overall they are opening at a very difficult time, and we'll be back to give them a second chance. I hope it improves, because I could have made K a much better Birthday dinner at home. Except for the Lemon Cake. Which was lovely. read more

The Walnut Tavern Bar & Grill - First day, just opened. Having a good Margarita. Or two. - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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We enjoyed a nice family dinner on the outside patio: beautiful view, great burgers and a very pleasant service! We will be back for sure!