Very cute French spot in Berkeley. A friend who went to Cal used to frequent this spot so we stopped by after working up an appetite hiking the fire trails. It was around 1 or 2 on a Sunday when we stopped in and there was no wait for 2. We were seated in the back room where we were the only party but then other parties were shortly seated near us. It's a beautiful space with lots of daylight and a cozy vibe. I ordered the eggs Benedict and my friend got the mushroom and cheese omelette, both of which were amazing. My eggs Benny came with home fries, which were delicious, and fruit. The servers were kind, albeit somewhat slow at times, due to us being in the back room. Overall quite enjoyed the food and the prices were absolutely reasonable. Free street parking nearby on Sundays was the cherry on top!
Henry Sauer
Really cute ambiance for brunch! The food was good, and it felt cozy, and the staff was warm and welcoming… they seemed mildly understaffed, but service was still efficient. Reasonably priced food for Berkeley, too.
Clinton Tran
Le Bateau Ivre is a quaint and cozy French style home converted restaurant. The food is good and service is friendly.
Irene Pozoukidis
Tres Bien! Loved every bite from the cheese plate to the vegetable lasagna to the chocolate mousse! Looking forward to going back for brunch!
Brad D.
We held our wedding rehearsal dinner at Le Bateau Ivre and came away in love with this charming, long-time local establishment and its wonderful staff.Arlene, the longtime owner, was a particular joy to work with. She started the restaurant in 1972. She has wonderful stories about how the restaurant was expanded and decorated over time, with materials salvaged from other Bay Area institutions after they closed, like the Playland at Ocean Beach. She helped us work out all of the details leading up to the event over the course of a few short phone calls.The rear room, where we held the rehearsal dinner, is stately and intimate with its stone walls. The food was excellent, and the little details were all considered tastefully: small vases of fresh flowers at every table, excellent bread before dinner, well-chosen but affordable wine and beer. We expanded the event after the rehearsal dinner into a "welcome drinks" gathering for out-of-town guests, and everyone spilled out onto the patio and lawn with cocktails that Le Bateau Ivre allowed us to design.Be aware, the staff is small, and the place is a bit old-school. We pushed to get a contract in place, and communication by email was not always prompt. But that is a small sacrifice for the warmth and personal attention that Arlene and her staff provide. We recommend visiting in person and taking time to get to know Arlene and hear about the history of the restaurant.
Gundi L.
Had a reservation at 6pm for 13 people, and we were rushed to order with a very stressed energy of the waiter who just wanted us to get through dinner in order to close and leave .after announcing they close a 7pm which doesn't make sense at all for a restaurant If u leave a good tip and 1000 usd u want a good service and restaurant was empty and reservation was made a week ahead . Wine was warm , hardly no bread with appetizer and food was La la.Never again and I now I understand why I never was attracted to go to this place just living around the corner . Classic answer of the owner: short of labor . !!!! Come on and give a little afford for a 1000 usd bill and realize what a table of 13 people helps in an empty restaurant . I
Patricia Y.
The other reviews are accurate, the owner is not friendly at all and the service is terribly slow. Only one waiter and three tables on a weekend. We had to ask for bread which came out after we finished our appetizers yet the table across from us got theirs as they sat down with the menu. That same table ended up waiting over 45 minutes for their food & it was 15 minutes till closing (7 PM which is extremely early). Originally bought two Groupons (which the owner didn't look happy, this is after I spent over $60 on dinner for two - extra tip for the poor waiter), so requested for a refund for my second voucher which I was planning to use for brunch because now that I've experience it, I have no intentions of ever returning. Everything tasted sour, the cook used balsamic vinegar in every dish. Not enough cheese in the French onion soup, the steak was over cooked, the Brussels sprouts were burnt to a crisp. It's such a waste of a cute restaurant situated near Berkeley campus with an outdoor patio.
Jhenie L.
Management sucks.. cuz i have voucher he let made a reservation 2 weeks in advance.. that sucks.. i wish i had better things to say about this place
Jasmin Mumford
The service was excellent. Our server was very attentive, considering he was the only one serving all the guests. He worked as fast as he could to attend to everyone. He was also very helpful giving us reccomendations.
A good place for a quiet dinner. Limited opening hours. The menu features traditional French cuisine.
Aarushi K.
Really beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces, and not too crowded! A little gem in Berkeley, with quality food for very reasonable prices. The OJ is ~fresh, and the crème brûlée is lovely. Perfect for a date
Yanran Lu
Came here for lunch because the place looks super cute. We ordered the French onion soup, salmon cakes and bolognese (which was very recommended). The French onion soup was pretty standard and my friend has enjoyed. The salmon cakes and bolognese were unremarkable. I would not come again for the food, but the vibe is very cute and they have a lovely outdoor area.
Arianna Khmelniuk
Half of menu was Italian cuisine, and quality was much lower then expected. No balance, too salty. Probably restaurant was sold and they need a new staff and chef. Also we recorded rat just outside our window, which was looking for entrance through their side door…
Zeke Cao
Very good food and atmosphere. We came in a large group and was rather chaotic but the owners were extremely accommodating we had a great time.
Love the full bar and great breakfast
Very cute French spot in Berkeley. A friend who went to Cal used to frequent this spot so we stopped by after working up an appetite hiking the fire trails. It was around 1 or 2 on a Sunday when we stopped in and there was no wait for 2. We were seated in the back room where we were the only party but then other parties were shortly seated near us. It's a beautiful space with lots of daylight and a cozy vibe. I ordered the eggs Benedict and my friend got the mushroom and cheese omelette, both of which were amazing. My eggs Benny came with home fries, which were delicious, and fruit. The servers were kind, albeit somewhat slow at times, due to us being in the back room. Overall quite enjoyed the food and the prices were absolutely reasonable. Free street parking nearby on Sundays was the cherry on top!
Really cute ambiance for brunch! The food was good, and it felt cozy, and the staff was warm and welcoming… they seemed mildly understaffed, but service was still efficient. Reasonably priced food for Berkeley, too.
Le Bateau Ivre is a quaint and cozy French style home converted restaurant. The food is good and service is friendly.
Tres Bien! Loved every bite from the cheese plate to the vegetable lasagna to the chocolate mousse! Looking forward to going back for brunch!
We held our wedding rehearsal dinner at Le Bateau Ivre and came away in love with this charming, long-time local establishment and its wonderful staff.Arlene, the longtime owner, was a particular joy to work with. She started the restaurant in 1972. She has wonderful stories about how the restaurant was expanded and decorated over time, with materials salvaged from other Bay Area institutions after they closed, like the Playland at Ocean Beach. She helped us work out all of the details leading up to the event over the course of a few short phone calls.The rear room, where we held the rehearsal dinner, is stately and intimate with its stone walls. The food was excellent, and the little details were all considered tastefully: small vases of fresh flowers at every table, excellent bread before dinner, well-chosen but affordable wine and beer. We expanded the event after the rehearsal dinner into a "welcome drinks" gathering for out-of-town guests, and everyone spilled out onto the patio and lawn with cocktails that Le Bateau Ivre allowed us to design.Be aware, the staff is small, and the place is a bit old-school. We pushed to get a contract in place, and communication by email was not always prompt. But that is a small sacrifice for the warmth and personal attention that Arlene and her staff provide. We recommend visiting in person and taking time to get to know Arlene and hear about the history of the restaurant.
Had a reservation at 6pm for 13 people, and we were rushed to order with a very stressed energy of the waiter who just wanted us to get through dinner in order to close and leave .after announcing they close a 7pm which doesn't make sense at all for a restaurant If u leave a good tip and 1000 usd u want a good service and restaurant was empty and reservation was made a week ahead . Wine was warm , hardly no bread with appetizer and food was La la.Never again and I now I understand why I never was attracted to go to this place just living around the corner . Classic answer of the owner: short of labor . !!!! Come on and give a little afford for a 1000 usd bill and realize what a table of 13 people helps in an empty restaurant . I
The other reviews are accurate, the owner is not friendly at all and the service is terribly slow. Only one waiter and three tables on a weekend. We had to ask for bread which came out after we finished our appetizers yet the table across from us got theirs as they sat down with the menu. That same table ended up waiting over 45 minutes for their food & it was 15 minutes till closing (7 PM which is extremely early). Originally bought two Groupons (which the owner didn't look happy, this is after I spent over $60 on dinner for two - extra tip for the poor waiter), so requested for a refund for my second voucher which I was planning to use for brunch because now that I've experience it, I have no intentions of ever returning. Everything tasted sour, the cook used balsamic vinegar in every dish. Not enough cheese in the French onion soup, the steak was over cooked, the Brussels sprouts were burnt to a crisp. It's such a waste of a cute restaurant situated near Berkeley campus with an outdoor patio.
Management sucks.. cuz i have voucher he let made a reservation 2 weeks in advance.. that sucks.. i wish i had better things to say about this place
The service was excellent. Our server was very attentive, considering he was the only one serving all the guests. He worked as fast as he could to attend to everyone. He was also very helpful giving us reccomendations.
Restaurantji Recommends
A good place for a quiet dinner. Limited opening hours. The menu features traditional French cuisine.
Really beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces, and not too crowded! A little gem in Berkeley, with quality food for very reasonable prices. The OJ is ~fresh, and the crème brûlée is lovely. Perfect for a date
Came here for lunch because the place looks super cute. We ordered the French onion soup, salmon cakes and bolognese (which was very recommended). The French onion soup was pretty standard and my friend has enjoyed. The salmon cakes and bolognese were unremarkable. I would not come again for the food, but the vibe is very cute and they have a lovely outdoor area.
Half of menu was Italian cuisine, and quality was much lower then expected. No balance, too salty. Probably restaurant was sold and they need a new staff and chef. Also we recorded rat just outside our window, which was looking for entrance through their side door…
Very good food and atmosphere. We came in a large group and was rather chaotic but the owners were extremely accommodating we had a great time.