48 Best American Restaurants in Berkeley

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

“Lovely venue and great service!“

“Had to check out Cals tonight with some friends while on the town! The food was great! We got the Mac & Chicken and the Chicken sandwich’s. One thing to be aware about is the price. However for those more expensive items the portions are HUGE! Definitely a good place to stop while visiting Berkeley!“

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

“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.“

“Came here on a Monday morning around 945am, and there was a sign saying their dine-in location is in El Cerrito, whereas this location in Berkeley is a bakery. I was looking for a sit-down kind of place so I moved on I’m figuring I’ll be back, but wanted folks to know about this in case like me you were looking for a different dining experience. (To management: please clarify if what I’m saying is inaccurate. Thanks)“

“Candy Apples are very good“

“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“

“You enter through a walkway full of displays. Then a beautiful patio, up a ramp where you can grab a menu and wait in line. You place your order at the register and get a number. We found a table, grabbed ourselves water and waited for food to come out as its made. Luckily we were sharing plates so it didn’t matter how long between dishes.“

“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!“

“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“

“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.“

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

“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“

“Delicious and portions are huge“

“Attended here at a pretty late hour past 10:30pm a bit after leaving the Berkeley Rep play. We were hungry and the short walk was pleasant.
Big menu but opted for something light
Brussel Sprouts (highly recommend)
Grilled cheese and Tomato Soup.

Was happy with the service and will definitely return especially when I need a late night spot. Waitress said they're opened until 1am on weekends - that blew me away.“

“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!“

“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.“

“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!!!“

“Service was lovely, the atmosphere was charming and beautiful dried flower arrangements hanging and flower vibes. Love the wooden tables and most importantly the food was outstanding. I will definitely be back and share this new gem with friends and family. 10 out of 10 ding dong they nailed it!“

“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 had the steak sandwich with French fries. Wife had the tuna melt with salad. It was around 1 pm on a Tuesday and there was no wait. The bread on both sandwiches were toasted perfectly and the French fries were perfectly fried and seasoned well. Will definitely be back when I'm the area! Didn't take pictures cause we were hungry.“

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

“Outdoor patio Salad Lunch Breakfast Brunch“

“Great portions for the price and the taste is excellent!

I haven’t had such amazing Northern Mexican food since 2020 in Arizona and I went to Playa del Carmen. Which the tacos were just as good but I was missing a good burrito and that’s just what I got.

The carnitas marinade was excellent, no extra salsa required. They also actually have horchata which is the other thing I’d been missing. This one is thick, sweet, and tastes more of vanilla than cinnamon. But it was delicious.“

“This is one of those spots where the food and drinks are so solid, the whole place so cozy (including the lovely patio), and the workers and owner so nice that I almost don't want to tell people about it lest they get attached to it, too. I used to come here fairly often when I lived in the area and it was always a respite. I hope they stick around forever, to be honest.

And huge kudos to the owner for supporting folks with difficulties who need employment.“

“Always a great experience and that view!“

“I've visited several times and I try to pick something different everytime. However, their fries are amazing!! So much so that I've ordered them my last 3 visits. The chili fries are the best!! The fries are so crispy!! So freaking delicious!!“

“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.“

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

“Burger delicious customer service was beyond poor. The cashier didn't smile or say thank you. I had questions and didn't even ask in fear of being snapped on. He was extremely rude and seems like just to women. Men came in and he smiled ans talked to them . I needed ketchup I asked please he threw it on the counter and didn't say nothing. Maybe san jose location is better ... poor service will make me never visit this location again“

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

“We had the Voodoo and the Moroccan burgers at the restaurant and they were great! The curly fries were crispy and tasty. The owner, Kamran, came by our table and chatted with us, which was a really nice touch. He was super friendly and welcoming. Overall, it was a great experience and we’ll definitely be back!“

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

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

“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“

“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!“