23 Best Bars in Berkeley

“This was so fun! Caleb especially was amazing! We have great report and he even gave us a booth! He was so fun to talk to and my friends said the burgers they had were amazing! Overall a great atmosphere, my vodka cran was great, and Caleb gave amazing service. Will be coming back!“

“This place is one of the best whisky bars I've ever been to. They have a phenomenal selection across styles and ages, including some rare releases from closed down distilleries, or some vintage bottles you can enjoy as cocktails. The staff are super welcoming. The bar is relaxed and if you didn't look at the drinks closely, you might think it's a dive bar (in the best possible way). Definite recommend for a chance to try some special drinks.“

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

“Phenomenal, mouth-watering, gigantic/generous portions, filling, fun! I especially recommend the Thursday Tri-Tip. Oooo and that to-die-for green sauce I forget what it was called. I look forward to having more and new things. Amazing people and service.“

“so fun With our friends. I hope to see you guys all soon.“

“Fresh ingredients, friendly staff, and delicious food and veggie options!“

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

“A Berkeley treasure in the making! Stellar cocktails, delicious dishes, friendly staff and awesome Dj appearances make this place shine. Finally a quality bar in South Berkeley!

2022 Update: Still excellent.

2025 Update: They're back!

2022 Update 2.0: 👍🏼“

“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“

“Cali’s in Berkeley truly blessed my family this Thanksgiving. If it wasn’t for their generosity and kindness our Thanksgiving wouldn’t have been same. My family was gifted a Thanksgiving meal and it came at a time we truly needed it. The week prior to receiving this amazing meal our family was on the news about food insecurity. I’m deeply grateful for the love and community spirit they showed my family.
We weren’t just gifted food it was the entire meal down to the smallest details like the turkey was brined and stuffed with butter and herbs, the green beans had loads of Parmesan cheese and please know that is not a complaint the cheese to green bean ratio was perfect, the gravy was so flavorful and everything was incredibly fresh. It was the best turkey I had ever had. The meal was incredible. The portions were truly family size. It was a very thoughtful meal that felt very elegant. It even came with broth to moisten everything. It fed a family of 7 and everyone had left overs. I can’t forget to mention it came with a huge pumpkin pie and instructions on how to reheat everything properly, and it was extremely easy to bake.
This made our thanksgiving actually filled with fun and as the host I wasn’t stressed at all, dinner was easy and delicious. It was the best Thanksgiving we’ve had in quite some time.
Thank you, Cali’s, for opening your hearts and helping families like mine feel cared for and seen.“

“Ronald and John keep Tap Haus on point. Always professional, but still laid-back and approachable. They create a safe vibe while keeping the energy fun. Definitely the kind of guys who make the night run smooth without ever forcing it. Solid crew, solid spot.“

“A game day classic, but also a great place to chill with your friends or family on other days in the cozy banquettes. Great space, excellent drinks, and the new burger is amazing.“

“First time for me and one other, but in our party of 4 , two have eaten here multiple times, I absolutely loved it, we all had the grilled chicken super burritos 🌯 😋 with both flour and corn style home made tortilla chips included along with fresh salsa's, guacamole and chili sauce all wonderful! Fantastic hospitality and salsas, Great atmosphere 👍 great for the family-friendly, We will be back. Thankyou!“

“This place has been on my want to go list for a while, and I finally got to try it! We didn't make a reservation and walked in instead. We waited for about 30 min and the restaurant texted us once the table was ready.

We ordered quite a few dishes and started with Omakase gushi, which came with chicken breast, thigh with leek, heart, cartilage, and minced chicken. We also ordered the oden set, sasami, tori tataki, gyu-tan, enoki bacon, and buta bara.

Evertyhing tasted pretty good, but the most impressive dish was sasami with umeboshi, which was inner bresat with umehad was the inner breast with umeboshi. It was my first time trying raw chicken, and it tasted really good. The chicken breast was really tender, with a tuna-like texture, and without any slimy or odd flavors. Ever since then, I've been telling my friends to try it. The Tori Tataki was seared chicken breast sashimi with ponzu, which tasted a bit plain compared to the sasami. So I would highly recommended to get theeir sasami!“

“Nice smaller venue. Standing room in the front, then there are tiers. You can sit on the next tier and on the sides (the ticket cost more). I liked that are ample restroom stalls and there is barely a wait. Finding parking around the area was a little challenging.“

“Very good food and great atmosphere“

“Great Hamburgers and garlic bread.“

“What a wonderful holiday treat to have a lovely tea at the Claremont! The decorations were festive and perfect for the space. The food was delicious, plentiful (we had to get boxes to take food home) and our waiter, Arun, was kind and catered to our every wish. Our table had a beautiful view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge on a lovely cloudless blue sky winter day. I'm looking forward to my next Claremont experience!“

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

“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.“

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

“Got drinks here after dinner in the neighborhood and we were extremely impressed with the quality and inventiveness of the cocktails on offer. If you’ve been to East Bay Spice Company then you know the kind of creativity they offer- it’s the same situation here but closer to downtown. We loved our servers and would absolutely come back for drinks.“

“Don't lose your investment in forex trade/bitcoin. Go with a proven legitimate trader that allows your unrestricted access to your account. I recommend Mrs Craig Vanessa for anyone in need of a reliable account manager because she has really helped me and got me restored from previous losses and it's been cool all the way. Invest with her today and enjoy a profitable trading experience. Now I am making profit of $5,500 weekly. Contact her through Facebook: Mrs Craig Vanessa“