47 Best American Restaurants in Berkeley

“The food inside is delicious and healthy portions. The service here is great too!“

“This was my first time here, and I'm so glad that I visited. I ordered the double smash burger, which was delicious and juicy. The order came with seasoned fries. The atmosphere was simple, no fuss, and the service was quick.

Parking: Depending on time of day, parking can be difficult.“

“Lovely venue and great service!“

“Five stars. The food and service here are impeccable. New favorite neighborhood restaurant.“

“The lamb chops were phenomenal!“

“What a lovely surprise to find such tasty, healthy food so close to home, friendly staff, on time! Lightly cooked but high-protein and *yummy*“

“One of the best restaurants in Elmwood (4/5 green stars) It’s so easy to walk right by Summer Kitchen without even noticing it. It’s a narrow shopfront with just a few tables outside and it’s easy to miss as you ponder ice cream and other offerings from neighbors. Well, take it from me – forget ice cream and get a baked item from Summer Kitchen instead! Or try a pizza, or an egg salad sandwich – possibly the best egg salad sandwich you’ll ever have. But if you are limited for time, try one of the fresh fruit pastries (galette) – they seem expensive at $12 but they are big enough for two and totally worth it! I’m giving Summer Kitchen 4/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact. The positives are obvious – most of the ingredients are organic and locally sourced. Everything is made from scratch and there is transparent sourcing of the meat and fish (Mary’s free-range chicken, etc.). There are a reasonable amount of vegetarian options and you can definitely find some vegan dishes too (salads, sandwich, pasta). Summer Kitchen could make the biggest environmental impact by scrapping beef from the menu – replacing it with plant-based alternatives, ideally. Beef has a carbon footprint of around 10 times that of chicken and over 100 times that of pea protein, on average. If everyone one the planet ate 1 lb. of beef per week (the US average), total greenhouse gas emissions would increase by one third! I’ll write a post illustrating all of this soon on the Green Stars Project. So I really appreciate that Summer Kitchen makes more effort than the vast majority of restaurants on improving sustainability so that’s my suggestion for the biggest opportunity for improvement – cut the beef.“

“Definitely recommend this place! first time here and I can't wait to come back next time I'm in Berkeley!! Food is delicious!“

“Nostalgia, for me. Forty years ago, when I moved here, I lived around the corner. Loved the food and coffee (Peet's) and the buzzy atmosphere. So Berkeley. When I'm back in the neighborhood, I try to stop by for a good meal. Even after 30 years my son gets over the moon excited when I bring him a cheese puff. Also dropped off their out of this world pie to a family member battling cancer recovery. Everyone gets excited about their baked goods; however their meals are dang good too. Friendly staff as well. For some joy, go there!“

“the best cheese steaks!! we live down the street from the Sunnyvale location. we eat there all the time. they never disappoint!! but I started eating at the SF location since 2008. still bomb“

“Candy Apples are very good“

“Delicious and portions are huge“

“Stopped by this café in Berkeley and loved it. The place has a warm, relaxed vibe with just the right amount of buzz from people studying and chatting. The coffee was excellent—smooth, rich, and clearly made with care. I tried their cappuccino and it was perfectly balanced. The staff were friendly and seemed to genuinely enjoy what they do, which adds to the atmosphere. There’s plenty of seating, good Wi-Fi, and a nice mix of indoor and outdoor spots. Great place to work for a few hours or just hang out and unwind. Definitely coming back.“

“One of my good friends recommended this place.. and WOW!!! hands down the BEST brunch i have ever had! The service, amazing! The food. So fresh and so much flavour.. AMAZING! Had me lost for words. If I could give 6 stars.. this would be it! ❤️“

“This was our 1st time in Berkeley. The bar is so nice! The corner spot is great location and parking was convenient. I love the bartenders and the food was delicious! Fried foods options are good for on the go! We got some fish & chips and chicken tenders they were yummy. I will definitely be back!“

“Very Spacey the only thing they need to improve is air conditioning they don't have air conditioning in there I guess you have to bring your own but was clean nice the day we went in it was really busy as hell besides that my son loves it that's the only thing that matters“

“Good food and excellent service ! We will be back in our next trip to Berkeley for sure .“

“I enjoyed myself here. I went for a work event. We had so much fun. The food was also delicious. The glazed Brussel sprouts soo good. Im usually don't just go for Brussels sprouts these were amazing.

-double smash burger really delicious

- double bourbon pecan cake. With icecream super delicious.“

“My dad used to drink there in the 1980s and the Asian husband and wife couple who owned the bar bought him a last drink and told him never to come backThe bar was closed for about 10 or 20 years in the 1990s and the 2000sMy favorite part of the bar is spinning the wheel and trying my luck at free drinks cuz half the time it's a l**** deal but half the time it's a winner deal it's a nice bar most people are really coolFor a while they had a 8-bit Nintendo system and I'd play Castlevania and Super Mario Bros over and over again but they do have some arcade games and pinball games really nice“

“I was there yesterday and had the Killer BLAT I didn't know if I would like it but turns out I loved it and I will return it was so good. It's a great place that you have to try.“

“Dining with Abstract Table is an art experienced through the eyes and palette. Each course was beautifully and thoughtfully created to delight the senses. I can’t wait to see what they dream up next!“

“We all agreed that the food was first rate, the staff was friendly and helpful, and the French toast was excellent…“

“The food was amazing and you can’t beat the views! The staff was friendly and our waitress was amazing!“

“open mic Tuesdays and the food and atmosphere!“

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“Love this place. Great service and food!!!“

“Great music venue, small feel with top notch sound and production, connected to a great ale house with good food, full bar and super professional staff.“

“Pollos is a great place for a good breakfast/brunch. There's never a long line because it's not a fancy brunch place. You get to sit down immediately instead of waiting an hour
They do make great omelettes and scrambled eggs. Prices are good too.“

“Not many vegetarian options, but the one you have is the best ever🤩“

“I’ve recently cut out all dairy and pretty much all meat, although I will make an exception for special occasions and eat meat seldomly. anyway the options here are delicious if you’re a vegan! Their menu is full of tasty choices. U couldn’t be happier with my recent door dash orders“

“I appreciate when a restaurant gives you a reasonable amount of food on your plate. My breakfast was the right size to feel satiated and not overly full. The potato wedges were well cooked and tasty. Coffee is self serve, so no worries about cups being empty. It's a bit small inside, so seating might be an issue if they are busy. Definitely a great breakfast place“

“Things haven’t gotten going yet so you can still make it.“

“Outdoor patio Salad Lunch Breakfast Brunch“

“You can't get food with such quality cappuccinos, and espresso shots are exquisitely pulled anywhere else in San Francisco suburbs. The foam can hold in my adult sippy cup for over any hour I spend commuting back or forth from the peninsula. I am astonished by the rarity of the lost dinner or dive to have a cup of coffee tasting like my grandmother Thanksgiving dinner. Thank you for being wonderful people with personality that enchants the atmosphere, and your service makes a comb slick my hair back in a greased lighting.“

“That was one of the best burritos I've ever had and I've had a few. Fresh ingredients, authentic flavors, sauce bar! Customer service was friendly and helpful. It was my first time there and I will definitely go back. Nothing like a delicious tasty burrito!!“

“Great food and friendly service! We've dined in and gotten takeout and both times the food has been super tasty. I like that they can open up the big doors to the main room on a nice day. There's some outside seating too. Highly recommend a burger on Hawaiian roll and tater tots!“

“Always a great experience and that view!“

“Solid burgers for really affordable prices with a mildly unnerving interior. I got a cheeseburger and fries for $7.70, the most economical option near campus. The cheeseburger had two thin patties and grilled onions, which were a nice touch. The fries tasted great, but I got a lot of bits less than an inch long. Food was out in 3 minutes - amazing.“

“We live 5 min away and Overlook is a great easy place to grab dinner in the Berkeley hills. The staff was quite knowledgeable on the beer on tap. And the atmosphere is relaxing and quiet. We're definitely making this a regular go to place for meals.“

“had a nice brunch before class started and was on a budget, cashier was sweet and recommended me a nice sandwich and i tried a smoothie which was way better than expected, workers were all sweet and i sat for a bit while waiting for my next class to start, will come back again“

“Great view of the waterfront along with great food!“

“Wonderful food service and beer! Very friendly owner! Will definitely return and recommend.“

“Food was yummy, service was great, vibe was chill“

“Delicious but somewhat expensive burgers in the Gourmet Ghetto that is in North Berkeley. Barneys is a small chain of hamburger restaurants that are primarily in the Oakland Berkeley area. We didn't know, but now we do.

For perspective, a Barneys burger costs $17.50, but it's a really good burger. Burgers are cooked to order with very good quality beef. Fries, onion rings, and other sides are ordered separately. Whereas the burgers were excellent, the onion rings and fried vegetables (their version of tempura) were on the oily side. Keep this in mind.

Their menu is expansive, and they offer salads and other items. We stuck to the burgers.

Service is friendly and efficient. Parking can be challenging, but there are metered spaces about a block away near Safeway.

The restaurant is clean and well maintained. The shiny sign out front gives a slight indication of the pride they take in the establishment... or maybe we're just being too generous.

In any case, on a nice day, try to snag a table on the patio and bite into a juicy, well crafted burger..all while soaking in the liberal elite vibe of North Berkeley It's a nice experience.“

“good service good food had a avocado bacon burger & beer was Casey Jones IPA !!!✌🏽💚“

“Food was very good, good service too. Really good location and it reminds me of a 1940s diner. Pretty good menus and selection of food. \nBut unfortunately this is probably my last visit. Which is really too bad as I really like the place and would recommend it to everyone. But, as I was leaving I noticed a sign in the widow I hadn’t seen when entering. Stating that law enforcement was not allowed if they don’t have a warrant. Well I support law enforcement and if they aren’t allowed to dine here then I won’t be back either. Too bad, I really like this restaurant.“

“Tender Greens | Berkeley has become a go-to place for occasional food delivery & dining in house in the mid-afternoon. The food is tasty, fresh, & plentiful—consistent—& always tastes good. Chefs develop interesting & tasty seasonal menus. I have explored a number of plates & bowls, especially savor the greens & seasonings that go alongside the entrees. Have enjoyed chicken, salmon, beef, & vegetarian options as well as all the sides. Sandwiches & salads are delish. As is the mint lemonade & watermelon fresca. The place can be hopping or not, & the service is top notch & personable, professional. They do robust to-go orders & have spacious outdoor garden seating. Sure wish I’d discovered it sooner!“