Had a lovely meal to celebrate a graduation. Standout dishes included the broth - which was an epiphany for me - the apertif, the fried oysters, and the pork loin (especially the outer edge). I was less enthused by the pasta which came with the broth and kumquat gingerbread mini bites with cocoa-covered almods (served after the dessert). I likely won't be eating here again due to the cost, but I appreciated the meal and what the restaurant has done for local food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julian Benjamin
I’m not a food reviewer, but the meals at Chez Panisse were incredible—at the absence of a more sophisticated description. Originally, I believed that my taste buds were vacant based on my current age and food experiences. However, upon coming here I realized how thankfully incorrect I was since this was the most flavorful sequence of dishes I’ve had in a very long time. What made this experience especially memorable was the excellent staff that always ensured that our party of four were doing well. I want to especially highlight above all our server Cela (I hope I’m spelling that correctly), she was an all-star, and could not have been any more helpful—pretty nice earrings also!! Overall, if you want an experience, visit Chez Panisse.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vanessa Blackmore
Always a cozy time, with a delicious representation of the seasons. The service and food are excellent, and the atmosphere is equally comfortable for both group and solo diners. I prefer the cafe for more casual meals, but the restaurant is worth a visit for the kitchen view.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ralph Pearson
Alice's well-proven mastery of sourcing the best local ingredients without compromise and presenting them in a manner that brings out the best in each has not waned one iota, nor has her presence in the restaurant, which remains welcoming, joyful, generous, and appreciative. She sets such a profound example of how a single human being can find and share the best of what life has to offer while uplifting those around her. Thank you, Alice!
(P.S. -- watch out for her handshakes -- iron grip! ...Not sure if it's from years in the kitchen or if maybe she's taken up rock climbing or blacksmithing or something)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mysticmuse
Everything we had was excellent. Service was great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nancy Moore
An absolutely perfect evening start to finish!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tim Hewitt
I am rating this meal 2 stars not for the quality of the food, there was nothing wrong with any of the dishes, but because of the cost and reputation of Chez Panisse.
As someone who grew up up the street from the restaurant, Chez Panisse is a cultural and culinary icon in the California restaurant market. A trend setter. This meal was not that. It was uninspired and seemed to have no idea what it wanted to be. Add onto that the fact that there were some glaring technical mistakes with the dishes.
The opening crostini was undercooked- a crispy exterior but the middle was soft and not in a way that felt intentional.
The tuna had a lovely sear, paired with a bright salad that might have been the best part of the whole meal, but why pair it with a bland tartar sauce? The flavors did not pair well. I would have preferred no sauce because the. I would just treat the course like a salad. No cohesion on the plate.
The mushroom sauce for the gnocchi was over salted. The gnocchi was good, but coming on the heels of eating the gnocchi at Gramercy Tavern, it felt uninspiring.
The quail had a lovely smoke flavor to it, but the vegetables were simply ok. For a restaurant that is supposed to specialize in their veggie offerings, that’s highly disappointing.
Finally the crepe was burnt. I was trying to tell myself that this might have been done intentionally to play on the bitterness of the chocolate sauce, but let’s be honest. It was burnt.
Lastly, I take offense to restaurants asking if you’re celebrating anything special and doing the bare minimum. A paper script that says congratulations is cheap and inauthentic. At that point, why even ask? It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth more than anything.
All in all the meal was entirely overpriced for the quality. Chez Pannise would be better served cranking out the hits at $125 a head instead of this uninspired “daily” menu that they’re offering. They’re clearly trying to keep up with their reputation and failing miserably at it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Dartise Jones
This place was packed on a random Wednesday! After trying the pork plate and pasta plate it makes sense. The service was amazing and the food was up to par. Definitely check this place out!!
Food: 5
Ben Keiper
Always a great experience, service and food were amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dorian Okano
First time; lunch in cafe. Gorgeous space, gorgeous food. Sat next to obnoxious mom and 3 entitled teen sons who were loud and dominating the volume in the dining room with over the top behavior. It was difficult to ignore. But that didn’t ruin the food and beauty of the space. We were celebrating the two of us turning 50 but it wasn’t acknowledged by staff despite prior notes. However, this was a bucket list experience. Tried most of menu and bought a signed cookbook and water glass. A great lunch of rustic deliciousness!
Love Chez Panisse. Super satisfied each time I dine. Where else to eat in Berkeley? It’s my one stop. Thank you, Chef Alice Waters, the staff and Daniel too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Olivia Yates
We had a large group at the Chez Panisse cafe (upstairs). Overall the experience was lovely. The service was prompt, however our waiter was a bit dry and somewhat passive. For example, when one of the guests asked if it was standard to order a dish from each section on the menu, his response was “sure”. Outside of his demeanor, the service was prompt and professional.
The food was lovely and came out fairly quickly, even for a large group. The celery root soup was a favorite, along with the fish. I had the warm radicchio Salad, which was a 10/10. My main course was the ravioli, which was lovely and light but lacked the robust flavor I hope to have in a main course. For dessert we ordered the fruit for the table and it was impeccable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Maja Baker
This restaurant is fantastic and lives up to every bit of its reputation. The building itself is a beautiful craftsman with lovely wood details. The staff was warm, but very professional. Every bit of food was so delicious & a beautiful sampling of the seasons bounty. I can't wait to dine here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cesar Garcia
Delicious, super fresh and very healthy food. We came to the cafe without reservation few minutes before 5 pm and they were very kind to offer us a table that they have always open for walk ins (small table for 2). The service was outstanding, they explain you everything with huge attention and patience. A bit pricey but definitely worth it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Daniel
I flew in from Paris to see some friends and we decided to eat here due to their good reputation. It’s a lovely place to eat upstairs at the cafe. The food was rather good if a bit outdated? (I was eating similar meals 15 years ago in east Paris.) The muscadet was excellent. The service was California with a smile. I think driving through Berkeley was uninspiring to say the least which was unfortunate. I’d say it’s worth the trip to eat here if you are close by but the drive from San Fran was probably too far as there are wonderful places to eat in town.
Had a lovely meal to celebrate a graduation. Standout dishes included the broth - which was an epiphany for me - the apertif, the fried oysters, and the pork loin (especially the outer edge). I was less enthused by the pasta which came with the broth and kumquat gingerbread mini bites with cocoa-covered almods (served after the dessert). I likely won't be eating here again due to the cost, but I appreciated the meal and what the restaurant has done for local food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’m not a food reviewer, but the meals at Chez Panisse were incredible—at the absence of a more sophisticated description. Originally, I believed that my taste buds were vacant based on my current age and food experiences. However, upon coming here I realized how thankfully incorrect I was since this was the most flavorful sequence of dishes I’ve had in a very long time. What made this experience especially memorable was the excellent staff that always ensured that our party of four were doing well. I want to especially highlight above all our server Cela (I hope I’m spelling that correctly), she was an all-star, and could not have been any more helpful—pretty nice earrings also!! Overall, if you want an experience, visit Chez Panisse.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Always a cozy time, with a delicious representation of the seasons. The service and food are excellent, and the atmosphere is equally comfortable for both group and solo diners. I prefer the cafe for more casual meals, but the restaurant is worth a visit for the kitchen view.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alice's well-proven mastery of sourcing the best local ingredients without compromise and presenting them in a manner that brings out the best in each has not waned one iota, nor has her presence in the restaurant, which remains welcoming, joyful, generous, and appreciative. She sets such a profound example of how a single human being can find and share the best of what life has to offer while uplifting those around her. Thank you, Alice!
(P.S. -- watch out for her handshakes -- iron grip! ...Not sure if it's from years in the kitchen or if maybe she's taken up rock climbing or blacksmithing or something)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything we had was excellent. Service was great
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
An absolutely perfect evening start to finish!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I am rating this meal 2 stars not for the quality of the food, there was nothing wrong with any of the dishes, but because of the cost and reputation of Chez Panisse.
As someone who grew up up the street from the restaurant, Chez Panisse is a cultural and culinary icon in the California restaurant market. A trend setter. This meal was not that. It was uninspired and seemed to have no idea what it wanted to be. Add onto that the fact that there were some glaring technical mistakes with the dishes.
The opening crostini was undercooked- a crispy exterior but the middle was soft and not in a way that felt intentional.
The tuna had a lovely sear, paired with a bright salad that might have been the best part of the whole meal, but why pair it with a bland tartar sauce? The flavors did not pair well. I would have preferred no sauce because the. I would just treat the course like a salad. No cohesion on the plate.
The mushroom sauce for the gnocchi was over salted. The gnocchi was good, but coming on the heels of eating the gnocchi at Gramercy Tavern, it felt uninspiring.
The quail had a lovely smoke flavor to it, but the vegetables were simply ok. For a restaurant that is supposed to specialize in their veggie offerings, that’s highly disappointing.
Finally the crepe was burnt. I was trying to tell myself that this might have been done intentionally to play on the bitterness of the chocolate sauce, but let’s be honest. It was burnt.
Lastly, I take offense to restaurants asking if you’re celebrating anything special and doing the bare minimum. A paper script that says congratulations is cheap and inauthentic. At that point, why even ask? It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth more than anything.
All in all the meal was entirely overpriced for the quality. Chez Pannise would be better served cranking out the hits at $125 a head instead of this uninspired “daily” menu that they’re offering. They’re clearly trying to keep up with their reputation and failing miserably at it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
This place was packed on a random Wednesday! After trying the pork plate and pasta plate it makes sense. The service was amazing and the food was up to par. Definitely check this place out!!
Food: 5
Always a great experience, service and food were amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time; lunch in cafe. Gorgeous space, gorgeous food. Sat next to obnoxious mom and 3 entitled teen sons who were loud and dominating the volume in the dining room with over the top behavior. It was difficult to ignore. But that didn’t ruin the food and beauty of the space. We were celebrating the two of us turning 50 but it wasn’t acknowledged by staff despite prior notes. However, this was a bucket list experience. Tried most of menu and bought a signed cookbook and water glass. A great lunch of rustic deliciousness!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Love Chez Panisse. Super satisfied each time I dine. Where else to eat in Berkeley? It’s my one stop. Thank you, Chef Alice Waters, the staff and Daniel too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a large group at the Chez Panisse cafe (upstairs). Overall the experience was lovely. The service was prompt, however our waiter was a bit dry and somewhat passive. For example, when one of the guests asked if it was standard to order a dish from each section on the menu, his response was “sure”. Outside of his demeanor, the service was prompt and professional.
The food was lovely and came out fairly quickly, even for a large group. The celery root soup was a favorite, along with the fish. I had the warm radicchio Salad, which was a 10/10. My main course was the ravioli, which was lovely and light but lacked the robust flavor I hope to have in a main course. For dessert we ordered the fruit for the table and it was impeccable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
This restaurant is fantastic and lives up to every bit of its reputation. The building itself is a beautiful craftsman with lovely wood details. The staff was warm, but very professional. Every bit of food was so delicious & a beautiful sampling of the seasons bounty. I can't wait to dine here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious, super fresh and very healthy food. We came to the cafe without reservation few minutes before 5 pm and they were very kind to offer us a table that they have always open for walk ins (small table for 2). The service was outstanding, they explain you everything with huge attention and patience. A bit pricey but definitely worth it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
I flew in from Paris to see some friends and we decided to eat here due to their good reputation. It’s a lovely place to eat upstairs at the cafe. The food was rather good if a bit outdated? (I was eating similar meals 15 years ago in east Paris.) The muscadet was excellent.
The service was California with a smile.
I think driving through Berkeley was uninspiring to say the least which was unfortunate.
I’d say it’s worth the trip to eat here if you are close by but the drive from San Fran was probably too far as there are wonderful places to eat in town.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
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